Less than two weeks away from gaveling in the 2023 general legislative session, Utah lawmakers are preparing to discuss a number of high-profile issues this year.
House Majority Leader Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, sat down with The Salt Lake Tribune’s Bryan Schott recently to discuss an array of topics. From water issues and tax cuts to funding education and school choice, here’s what Schultz said lawmakers have prioritized for this year’s 45-day marathon of lawmaking:
Water
“We’re the second-driest state in the nation. We have made the Great Salt Lake one of our top priorities the last couple of years and we will continue to make it again. We’ll make investments into infrastructure, conservation, it’s going to have to be an all of the above approach.”
Taxes
“All of the things are on the table. A couple of the things we hear most about is income tax, Social Security tax for seniors. Food tax. There are some talks about doing some tax credits to help families. We’ll be looking at a whole host of things.”
School choice
“What kind of program can we bring to the state of Utah that will give parents options that fit the needs for them and their kids? This is an important part of strengthening our public education system.”
Education funding
“We’ve had record increases for the last four or five years toward education spending. The biggest issue facing our state is our kids and education.”
