Dear Members of the Utah Legislature:
On behalf of National Taxpayers Union (NTU), the nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, I write to express our opposition to the repeal of Senate Bill 2001, which we understand is scheduled for legislative action imminently.
While we understand referendum efforts are crucial in the arena of public policy, we must also be mindful of messaging tactics that have painted an inaccurate picture of the tax legislation. Unfortunately, these inaccuracies could result in a $200 million-dollar disservice to Utah taxpayers.
The Utah Legislature carefully crafted tax policy to ensure Utah families are on solid economic footing by enacting SB 2001, effectively modernizing the tax code and returning tax dollars back to taxpayers. Unfortunately, the imposed sales tax increase on food is being emphasized by opponents of SB 2001 at the omission of significant tax reductions within the legislation, including a significant overall income tax cut for the majority of Utah taxpayers, to the tune of $348 million.
The legislation also restored the dependent exemption, saving taxpayers an additional $132 million and rectifying a hardship many families experienced after a 2018 income tax increase. Moreover, SB 2001 eliminated $18 million in taxes on social security income for senior citizens, a significant relief for those seniors on a fixed income.
Establishing and altering the tax code is complex, a process that deserves intense focus and significant input. The Utah Legislature carefully crafted SB 2001 to improve the economic well-being of Utah families. As the Utah legislature considers the repeal of SB 2001, our organization urges you truly consider the negative impact this hasty repeal will have on all Utah taxpayers.
Sincerely,
Leah Vukmir
Vice President of State Affairs
Jessica Ward
Director of State Affairs