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State Democrats Urge Voters To Reject Tax Amendment

utahdemocrats.org
Peter Corron says that the State Tax Commission is already unbalanced.

On the ballot this election cycle in Utah is a proposal that would affect appointments to the State Tax Commission. The amendment, if passed, would allow the legislature to select commission members without regard to the candidate’s political affiliation. The commission would become anything but nonpartisan if voters choose to support the amendment, said Peter Corroon, the state Democratic Party chairman.

“The reality will be that it will become entirely partisan and Democrats will have no voice on the Tax Commission,” he said.

Under Utah law, no political party may have more than two members on the four-person commission. Currently, only one Democrat commissioner sits on the board. According to Corroon, the proposed change to the state’s constitution is just an attempt to control tax legislation.

“I think it’s an effort by the Republican establishment to get rid of the one last Democrat on the Tax Commission,” he said. “There’s already an unbalanced commission. So, getting rid of the Democrat would just get rid of any semblance of balance there was.”

The Utah Democratic Party is officially against supporting the amendment. Equal representation on the commission would provide better fairness in tax policy for the state, Corroon said.

“We would propose equal representation on the tax commission so we could have even more balance and more of a watchdog for our tax commission,” he said.

Voters will be asked to vote on two other amendments as well.