This Bill did not reach a vote in the House.
Libertas Institute opposes this bill.
In 2015, the Utah Legislature passed HB 362 which not only raised the gas tax by 5 cents a gallon, but also authorized counties to place a .25% sales and use tax increase on the November 2015 ballot in order to fund local transportation projects and the Utah Transit Authority (UTA). When the dust settled, 10 counties passed the increase.
Now Representative Brad Daw is resurrecting the concept with House Bill 367 which would allow cities and townships whose counties did not (and do not plan to) implement the tax increase to place a .10% sales and use tax increase on the ballot in order to fund local transportation projects.
If local municipalities truly were in such need of funding for transportation, then they should find ways to adjust their budgets to find the funding they need. Lavish recreation centers, golf courses, and fitness equipment are just some of items that cities sometimes prioritize above needed transportation projects. At a time when Utah taxpayers are already dealing with numerous new taxes and facing still more, another sales tax increase is unnecessary and irresponsible.
The following counties could be affected:
Beaver
Box Elder
Cache
Daggett
Emery
Garfield
Iron
Juab
Kane
Millard
Morgan
Piute
Salt Lake
Summit
Uintah
Utah
Wasatch
Washington
Wayne
