Comments about ‘Raise food tax only under these conditions’

Raising the most unfair tax on the books is not the answer. A tax on food means you not only have to make enough to buy the food, you have to pay the government an additional amount for the privilegde of eating. Enough is enough. The State needs to learn to live within its means - even in lean years. It's time to cut costs.

How about just taxing junk food? That would bring in extra money, and that would be an extra incentive to eat healthy, which would decrease health care costs.

Let's see. Obama's economic stimulus bill would supposedly give us about $13 a month in tax cuts. Now McIff and the other devious state legislators want to raise our taxes by more than double that amount.
I wouldn't trust a "sunset provision" in this law either. The legislature routinely passes bills to alter or do-away with them. This is just a dishonest ploy. Two or three years down the road it will be soooo easy to vote to extend this tax once again. You won't be able to say they voted or a tax increase, just to extend one we already have... The current legislature cannot bind a future legislature.
THIS IS A MOVE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

Drop the food tax all together. This would help the markets and resturants not lose business. The poor have food stamps at the market, so what is the problem? Government is bloated and out of control. Please don't give me this bleeding heart baloney about losing vital social and educational program cuts crap. You political people never in your "TRANSPARENCY" of government ever tell us what your budgetary scenario is. All we every hear in the news is how corrupt businesses are giving those outrageous bonuses to CEO's. And gasoline tax increases....that is just insane. Let's just freeze government budgets for the next two or three years and let governments live with it. Everyone else in the country is in the private sector is adjusting their spending. Why should government at the state, county and community levels not do the same thing? The federal government with their cranking up the currency presses and going on a drunken spending spree is going to saddle this nation with unprecendented debt and cause the dollar to become worthless. Their budget is out of control and has sent the wrong message to other government entities. TAX INCREASE PROPOSALS ARE WRONG!!!!!!!!!

Economic Stimulus?

So as long as it doesn't hit YOUR picket book then you are all for it? If the programs are cut for the poor, you will be better off because YOU didn't put anything in.

I don't know if this is the best plan, however, I'm willing to chip in to help these other programs. This is coming from a tax payer that made 75k between my wife and I.

You folks complain about it, but you folks do NOT have any ideas. So lets here them? Atleast one representative is putting something up without stripping it all down.

How many ways can you say "Regressive"? A regessive tax is one which affects those with less money. The rich can afford a tax on food MUCH easier than people who work for a living. Yeah, let's tax food and gas. Great idea, legislature.

To have this massive welfare program proposed by a Republican is disappointment to put it mildly. Every lawmaker should be forced to read "The Proper role of Government" before the start of every session of the legislature. While it sounds full of heart to confiscate from those who have and give it to someone else, it defies our constitution and creates of host of negative consequences. IT is not the governments role to mandate charity to others.

Government listen hard and long

THOU SHALT NOT TAX

FOOD
CLOTHING
HOUSING
ELECTRICITY
HEATING GAS

NOR ANYTHING LIKE UNTO TO IT FOR THEY ARE NECESSITIES OF LIFE!

In other words government you have no right to tax someone's right to the bare necessities. To do so is to say that they have to pay some tax in order to live? FOR SHAME you beast!

The food tax is a good tax. If you want to help the poor, target them directly with something like the earned income tax credit. People keep buying food in economic downturns, so the food tax stabilizes government revenues.

Too many people demand more government services and less taxes. You can't have both, as much as politicians want to promise you that you can. Sure, you can fiddle around the edges with things government shouldn't fund but has (stadiums and golf courses). But in the end, the big money in government goes to core government services like education, transportation, corrections, court system, etc. I, for one, am not willing to do without those.

Speaking of regressive, let's talk about that intergenerational ponzi scheme called social security. If you're serious about getting rid of regressive taxes (only taxes wages and doesn't apply above about 100K), let's get rid of social security as well.

This a stupid plan. How much tighter are wwe to tighten our belts. Instead of raising taxes to generate monies , why not clean house at the top and decrease excess spending.Also maybe set up programs for the ones staying home and collecting food stamps because they don't want to work.What ever happened to Mc Donalds? No one should be on food stamps and collecting welfare. Thats where all excess funds go that could be put to better use. Shame on the Government

I for one as a Married college student with a combine income of 2000$ a month (and some months only 400), living in Grandmas basement paying car insurance on 2 cars so we can both to get to school, sub par health insurance, and rent... last thing we can afford is a tax! so tax us and then give us a rebate when we defalted on paying our bills and its to late... good idea utah government... coming from the east coast Utah has some of the dumbest politicals (see the cell phone bill and the 801 argument, NJ has had BOTH for the last 4 years and no one has died because of it ) man I cannot wait to move out of here.

The answer to everything is always raise taxes. Keep your hands off of taxing food anymore than you already do. Cut services.

Make our leaders in Washington and Salt Lake City do what the normal person does, cut out of the budget things that can be done away with.

But NO, they won't do that. They want to make it harder on us by raising taxes on what we eat.

How unusual, a D-News editorial that is actually chock-full of good ideas!

I like the sunset provision. True, its no guarantee the tax will go away, but it does guarantee another debate and vote for it to stay.

I also like the idea of spreading the inevitable tax increases around, but cigarettes are already overtaxed (in addition to being subject to the full sales tax). I'd rather see some kind of taxes imposed on other unhealthy items, particularly non-necessities like soda. I wonder how the numbers would shake out if we put a 5 cent tax on every single-serve beverage container sold in the state?

I'm also not too worried about the regressive nature of the tax. It's a minimal amount, and it's based on dollar value so those with expensive tastes and budgets will still pay more per head.

In hindsight, we never should have moved so fast on reducing the food tax. We have the income tax, the property tax and sales tax that form the three legs of tax revenue in Utah. It was a balanced, effective system. It is now out of balance.

The food tax, unlike the income tax and property tax, taxes everyone the same. The income tax and property tax collect more from the wealthy.

Utah needs the revenue for education and human services. Let's make the change.

You got it right. Govt has taken on a life of its own. Far too many politicians think they are above the citizenry and "know what is best" for everyone else.

There is litterally miles of pork in every govt. Instead of being judicious with citizens money all they do is find ways to take more.

Most govt programs need to be abolished. Every single piece of legislation should automatically have a sunset clause for it to be redebated for its need to continue.

Govt never giveth...they always taketh away (taxes that is).

Govt should have limited roles but instead they spend all day dreaming up ways to infiltrate every aspect of our lives. Creating more redundant laws that criminals do not follow and for the average citizen to have to endure.

Yes this is what your govt "does for you".

Repubs and Demos alike.

One is just slightly worse than the other.

There are plenty of other tax exemptions currently enjoyed by businesses that could be cut or eliminated. I have watch the legisalture for years and they simply refuse to tax the businesses in this state. They run out of money so let's tax food. Of course we can't tax Energy Solutions because look at all the contributions that they give. I could go on and on.

Rep McIff voted to invite more "temporary" foreign workers to Utah to take our jobs, but then with this tax I suppose he feels that since they have to eat it will help offset education and other taxpayer subsidized costs.

You folks in Sevier County need to pay attention to this guy, and look around for someone else next election.

THE TRUTH MUST REALLY HURT YOU PEOPLE!!!!!!!!

To all the slash and burn government posters here, specifically which government activities would you cut? How much would that save in taxes? People think too much in generalities. Sure, there's some waste in government, as in all organizations. But that's not going to amount to much in the end, as much as we kid ourselves that it will. Have the courage to state specifically what you would cut, the revenue it will save, and ramifications for society.

If you want to cut education, tell me specifically where and how much that would save. For example, lay off 1,000 teachers, which would save $60 million a year (60,000 x 1,000) and increase class sizes by x students per class. Or discontinue funding all transportation maintenance and new projects, which would save x in revenues and result in potholes and gridlock.

At least be honest with yourself about the societal ramifications of your suggestions.