Utah’s legislative leaders on Monday unveiled their tax reform “dream team,” a task force that in coming months will formulate a plan for stabilizing the state’s revenue streams.
The 10 voting members of the panel will be Republican Sens. Lyle Hillyard, Curt Bramble and Kirk Cullimore; Democratic Sen. Karen Mayne; Republican Reps. Francis Gibson, Tim Quinn, Mike Schultz and Robert Spendlove; and Democratic Rep. Joel Briscoe. The group will also include four nonvoting members: Gary Cornia, former Utah State Tax commissioner; Steven Young, a Salt Lake City tax attorney; Keith Prescott, a tax accountant who chaired a group that advised the governor and Legislature on tax policy; and Kristen Cox, executive director of the Utah Governor’s Office of Management and Budget.
“We’ve got kind of a dream team type of group,” Senate President Stuart Adams said.
Adams said a wide variety of options will be up for discussion on the task force, with the overall aim of improving the state’s financial future without harming the economy.
“The goal will not be to do any type of tax increase. In fact, our goal will be to give a tax cut,” the Layton Republican said.
Lawmakers earlier this year tried to pass a massive tax overhaul bill, but the measure stalled amid pushback from service-oriented businesses that would’ve been affected. The task force is supposed to go back to the drawing board and solicit public input about the best way to adjust the state’s revenue streams.
The task force will be charged with developing recommendations that lawmakers could take up in a special session later this year.
Hillyard, from the Senate, and Gibson, from the House, will serve as co-chairs of the panel.
Follow @BethRodgersSLT