Legislature has closed window on voice of reason
(Most observers agree that Utah's tax system is broken. The Task Force is supposed to recommend changes by November.)
Here's what the wired fly recorded:
Legislator No. 1: "The meeting will come to order. You'll find soft drinks and doughnuts on the goodies table. Thanks to the soft drink lobbyists who supplied them."
Legislator No. 2: "We all know Utah taxes are too high. Especially business taxes."
Legislator No. 3: "Right. I'm a businessman. I can't afford more taxes. Now, let's hurry along. I have a golf date in Palm Springs this weekend."
Legislator No. 4: "Taxes bad."
Token woman legislator: "But we should look at all taxes. We need broad-based tax policies to provide for our schools and our highways and other government services."
Legislator No. 3 (to token woman): "My, that's a nice pin you're wearing. I'd like to get one for my wife. Where did you find it?"
Professor of tax statistics: "She's right. Taxes in Utah are not well balanced. We put a heavy burden on wage earners. Sales taxes are not uniform. Property taxes are not well administered. City and county revenues are not keeping up with service needs."
Legislator No. 5: "But we gave half a billion to highways to move people through the counties. We should help cities and counties maintain roads and support local business."
Learned economist: "Right. The key is business development. If we lower business taxes, we'll attract new businesses."
Voice of reason (through an open window): "No well-managed business ever made a location decision based on taxes."
Legislator No. 2: "Close the window. There's a draft in here."
Legislator No. 4: "Taxes bad."
Governor's spokesman: "We want to concentrate on business-friendly tax policies. We know most business growth will occur along the Wasatch Front, but it'll help everyone. It's the old trickle down effect."
Legislator No. 1 (under his breath): "Trickle is fickle."
Token Demo: "If you ask me . . . "
Chorus: "We didn't."
Utah's taxpaying citizens: Knock, knock.
Legislator No. 1 (quietly): "Who's at the door?"
Legislator No. 2: "Them."
Legislator No. 1: "Ignore them. We know what's best for Utah."
Voice of reason: "What's best for everyone is a strong state commitment to education."
Legislator No. 2: "I told you to close the gol-durned window."
Statistician: "We'll have a hundred thousand new students in our schools in a decade. We need a hundred new school buildings and thirty-five hundred new teachers."
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