Reader comments
Falling tax revenues keep state in a budget crunch

Yes its a challenge, and YES the taxpayers will be WATCHING!

NO NEW TAXES!

BTW: we taxpayers noticed that the legislature snuck in the INCREASED vehicle reg. fee late last legislative session, and I for one,am planning on voting AGAINST the incumbent in my district, strictly due to that increase!

Ditch the creativity on how to raise taxes without anyone noticing, and concentrate on REDUCING state spending!

How about taking a look at eliminating some of the ridiculously high salaries at the top of state govt.?

Maybe what this state REALLY needs is a whole change in ALL of the elected Reps.

I would not hold your breath hoping the stimulus bill will help anything. It will hurt the economy. This is a Keynesian stimulus always a failure in the past, but political elites as our liberals think they can micromanage the economy. When the economy struck our family we pulled our horns in. So likewise must the Federal government. We need reduced taxes and a dramatic reduction in government workers or preferably a cut in wages. Things could get much worse. Of course we all hope the economy will do well in spite of the stimulus. Without a rip roaring economy we can't handle health costs, SS, and Medicare a total of $75 trillion of future costs.

This is an easy one. Put a penny tax or two back on food. Is a painless way to collect revenue. And it has some equality. The guy who buys the steak pays more than the guy who buys the hot dog. And we all contribute.

Dave, most State employees make about a third of what it takes to run a household. State employees are a loyal bunch of people dedicated to their jobs, and serving the citizens of this state, including your tired butt. This recession will end. Ride it out....

Our esteemed Utah Legislators will probably start "floating" all kinds of ways to raise MORE REVENUE!

Lets try not to buy into the "trap" of which group of taxpayers MUST pay more, instead, lets concentrate on letting the legislature know which CUTS we taxpayers might suggest!

Here's my suggestion: Drop the salaries of ALL EMPLOYEES earning over 125,000 per yr. by 10%. Over the years, the legislature hasn't paid enough attention to the salary increases that have occurred. MANY of the salaries have become WAY out of proportion to the actual duties!

Don't like that idea - fine - BUT DON'T RAISE TAXES!

Make different suggestions when you email, or talk to legislators, but at the same time don't let them start talking about RAISING ANY particular tax. They need to understand that a "budget" represents the total amount you have to spend, NOT a way to figure out ways to get extra taxes without we taxpayers noticing!

Why is it that during recessions businesses cover revenue shortfalls by cutting back and governments cover revenue shortfalls by raising taxes? I am out of work, so raising income tax won't increase state revenues, and raising sales taxes, vehicles fees (taxes), and other taxes will take what little I have left. Cut back on spending and reduce our taxes, please. We are hurting. We have no more to give.

Interesting statement in the article about the Democrats suggesting if the tax cuts had not been made law the state would have roughly $360 million more to help in these budget times. The response being that the legislature and state would be in the same position as the $360 M would have been used up in the annual budget.

Does this tell us anything? We need to keep taxes low to reduce the power, influence, size and spending of government. The same thing Reagan and Republicans preached in the '80s and '90s. Too bad Republican politicians became Democrats during the past decade with their poor spending, increased size of government, and increasing power of government. Now we have an administration that is literally uncontrolled in its power grab, spending, and increase of government.

More of our $s will be used by government as fees and taxes increase and we won't be in any better shape! I am speaking of state and federal government.

Wow, fellow taxpayer! I would gladly take a 10% pay cut if my salary were in excess of $125,000. Take a look at Utahrights.com (I believe that's the correct website). It lists state employees' salaries. Most are well below the $60,000 mark.

State employees will actually take home less commencing July, 2009, because the medical insurance premiums have increased and no raises are being given.

One of the largest costs in education is the ridiculous duplication of administrative bureaucracy in the larger school districts, coupled with the excessive salaries paid to administrators. You often find 3,4, or even 5 people filling positions that realisticly could be staffed by a single competent person. End the administrative bloat and taxpayors will be more sympathetic to the legitimate needs of education.

The solution: raise the ridiculously low taxes on houses and real property so that education can be decently funded. That is the only avenue left of the 3 big tax (sales and income) generators. We are the Mississippi west of the Mississippi.

Also, I eat out sparingly due to the 7.7% tax. Only a dummy would pay that when considering the meager return on savings. Bad enough to have to pay 6.6% on everything else.

Dear Ken Goddard:

Rather than suggesting an increase in tax to raise govt revenues (treating it like a business) why not reduce the cost of govt. by eliminating programs (treating the matter like the govt. has a responsibility to spend wisely the money collected from the tax payers-a practice which the taxpayers are forced to implement in times like this)

Re: J 8:18 p.m.

Exactly. Decrease government spending! Government will spend everything it takes. No amount will ever be enough. We the taxpayers must put a limit on government power, growth, and spending.

Looks like it is time to cut the excess out of government once and for all!

These comments illustrate the selfishness of our day, gimme, gimme, gimme. Demanding services while refusing to pay taxes can only go so far.

Cut the fat out of government means no meals for the shut-in elderly, no dental for the indigent and less education for children. We live in a sick world where million dollar homes sprout up everywhere, yet we cannot give a hand-up to those in need. Raising tuition at state universities which we did this year, means the working poor will never get out while the wealthy will continue to educate their children, thus reinforcing society's inequity.

Government is what we make of it, it is not good or bad unless we make it so. We are in a very sad state, we considers ourselves Christian, yet believe it is OK for Millionaires to live in opulence while children a few miles away go hungry. I got to have five cars, a new boat for a week at Lake Powell, jet skis, a motorhome and cabin, but let the children get less money for education than any state in the nation. It is madness. Stop and look at what you are saying!

never cuts back. They only grow. Expect fees to increase everywhere they can figure out to jack them up.

Utah government is so predictable and corrupt its inevitable that taxes will skyrocket again. Instead of cutting spending they want to tax the fewer working people on smaller incomes to compensate for government mismanagement and fraud. What part of cut, cut, cut, don't they understand? Not only are the workers facing outrageous inflation and income and job losses our government is being irresponsible and unreasonable to keep raising and adding taxes.

Instead of helping the economy, they are driving us deeper in to the recession and depression. All the stimulus funds the state received have not been used to help the economy. It has been irresponsibly transfered to government operations and budget shortfalls for the next 2 years. This state is starting to push the buttons of rebellion and anarchy in their refusal to cut what is not necessary for government.

This means major cuts in welfare and social services and education, especially to non american citizens and illegal foreign nationals. Face the facts, Utah government is in the recession as much as its citizens and nothing is normal or as usual. If state government does not make major cuts, all government will collapse.

I can't believe I read this sentence. ...Utah's budget is ONLY 10.5 Billion.... Somehow being able to write or even think ONLY 10.5 billion is a stretch. My personal budget is much smaller. I am making less money and every entity is talking about raising taxes. My budget is ONLY 82 thousand. I wish I could raise my salary like government raises taxes whenever I wish.

Education needs to take a haircut - people need to stop focusing on how much we spend per pupil (because we have so many more kids and lower incomes) and realize that 62% of the budget is spent on education. The national average for education spending as a percentage of the states' total budget is 46%.

Education only got a 2-3% cut this past year where the state average was 15%, so other vital services got HUGE cuts...some close to 20%.

Fewer school days, close schools in areas in more mature neighborhoods where enrollments are falling (like Provo), etc.

I support education, but when we don't have the money we don't have the money.

There are no good alternatives for cutting education. Class sizes are already in the high 20's. And there are no more easy cuts. Further cuts will be more teachers cut. You will be approaching 30 kids per student with more cuts. Go visit a class. Try teaching 30 4th graders. Keeping the class size at 25 is worth an extra cent or two of tax on food.