UTGOP Leadership Pass Anti-Tax Resolution

UTGOP Leadership Pass Anti-Tax Resolution
For Utah Standard News / 6/28/2019

Sandy, UT—Utah Republican Party leaders debated and passed a resolution opposing tax increases and the proposed new tax on services at their State Central Committee meeting last Saturday. The resolution, sponsored by St. George attorney Larry Meyers, calls on Utah’s Republican legislators and Governor “to restrain government spending as much as is responsibly possible and to refrain from any tax increases and the imposition of new taxes, including the proposed new tax on services.”

The State Central Committee (SCC) is the governing body of the party and has representatives from every county in Utah.

Dalane England, of Bountiful, was among the committee members who spoke in favor of the resolution.  England argued that the Legislature has already increased taxes in recent years and should control spending rather than considering new taxes or tax increases.  State Senators Lyle Hillyard (R-Logan) and Jake Anderegg (R-Lehi) spoke against the resolution, stating that it would “tie the hands” of the Legislature and that it would be best to leave all tax reform options on the table.

Despite the opposition, the resolution had the support of the majority of the central committee and passed without the need for a recorded vote count.

The resolution states that it is based on the Utah Republican Party Platform and quotes several Platform provisions.  Key principles cited include that “citizens’ needs are best met through free enterprise, private initiative, and volunteerism” and that “government … must be restrained from intruding into the freedoms of citizens.”

The resolution also declares that Republicans “accept the necessity for limited taxation” in order to “meet essential public needs,” while recognizing that “the power to tax is also the power to control.  It concludes that “the best way to control government is to strictly control the amount of taxes imposed on the people.”

Though the resolution is non-binding, a copy will be sent to the offices of the Governor, the President of the Utah Senate, and the Speaker of the Utah House.

©2019  Larry Meyers

Full text of the Resolution:

Resolution in Support of Fiscal and Tax Responsibility

Whereas, the Utah Republican Party Platform declares our support for limited government spending and low taxes as follows:

“We believe that citizens’ needs are best met through free enterprise, private initiative, and volunteerism.”

“We believe government properly exists by the consent of the governed and must be restrained from intruding into the freedoms of citizens.”

“We accept the necessity for limited taxation in order for government to perform and administer those services which meet essential public needs.  However, we recognize that the power to tax is also the power to control, and believe that the best way to control government is to strictly control the amount of taxes imposed on the people.”

And, whereas, we wish to follow our Platform and promote the Utah Republican Party as the Party of low taxes and fiscal responsibility; therefore

Be it resolved:  That, we, the governing body and State Central Committee of the Utah Republican Party call on our Republican Governor and our Republican elected officials in the Utah House and Senate to restrain government spending as much as is responsibly possible and to refrain from any tax increases and the imposition of new taxes, including the proposed new tax on services; and

We direct the Secretary of the Utah Republican Party to provide a copy of this Resolution to the offices of the Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives, the President of the Utah Senate, and the Governor.


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