Just how representative is our state Legislature? Do they take their constituents seriously?
They didn’t listen when Utahns voted for cannabis. They didn’t listen when Utahns voted for Medicaid. And now, the legislative body entrusted to speak and act on our behalf, once again demonstrate disregard for their charge as public servants, rushing through a nearly universally hated tax reform bill, hurriedly passed during a special legislative session.
Overall, Utahns feel that, even though statewide townhalls were held, lawmakers didn’t listen to the people. Again.
From the start, this was a poorly explained reform. Outside the tax task force, legislators weren’t prepared for questions nor provided clear answers. We shouldn’t be explained away with “to maximize the use of the budget.”
What people see is their children’s education fund becoming vulnerable and the cost of their food going up. Political experts agree this should be a two-year process gathering data and formulating a sensible reform plan.
It’s incorrect to say only educators are up in arms about this. This issue affects every single Utahn, clearly shown by the momentum behind citizen referendums. But did we truly need reform? Was Utah’s economy in dire need? Surely we’ve suffered deficits year after year.
The truth is Utah isn’t suffering deficits and doesn’t need immediate breakneck-speed reform. In fact, Utah has had a surplus for some time. That there weren’t two-thirds votes in favor of the reform opened it to a citizen’s referendum, taken up by two separate groups. The people don’t approve this attempt at reform, whether for lack of time and public input allowed, or moral disagreement with the concept of taxing human necessities like food, or for the many other reasons cited by countless Utahns.
Not only that, but these aren’t significant tax cuts. If you divide the $160 million tax cut, it’s maybe $50 to $100 dollars per Utahn. This with the caveat that now we have to pay more at every grocery trip, at every gas pump stop.
The referendum groups are growing, hold momentum and just might reach the 115,869-signature goal before the Jan. 21 deadline. The last successful referendum was in 2007, largely led by the UEA. It’s a tall order. Taylor Morgan from Morgan May Public Affairs stated this is the worst time of the year for signature-gathering.
Is it possible the reform was passed on purpose with knowledge that any possible citizens’ referendum would have a harder time being successful?
Never underestimate the will of Americans who feel they’re misrepresented by their government. This week saw the 246th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, when similarly angered citizens of a dismissive, overbearing government made their voices heard loud and clear. Our Legislature would do well to remember this part of our shared heritage.
Utahns deserve to be heard by their lawmakers. The only way they can be made to listen is by replacing them. If the slew of citizen initiatives on last year’s ballot and the emergence of two citizen referendums responding to their hastily passed tax reform isn’t clear enough indication, they’ll continue to fail their constituents.
We the people should vote them out.
We have the power to hold our representatives accountable. 2020 will continue this tax reform revolution, making it big for legislators seeking re-election. Engage them, ask them to explain exactly how they came to their decision. Ask them how or if they are affected personally.
If they listen, great. If they don’t, remember this at the ballot box next November. Utah deserves better. We shouldn’t be afraid to demand such.
Olivia Jaramillo
Olivia Jaramillo is legislative chair for House District 14 Democratic Party and the second vice chair for the Hispanic Democrats of Utah.