The Right to Bear Arms
The second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence begins with this: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among...
None of Your Beeswax!
According to Utah Administrative Code R68-1, “Every owner or person coming into possession of one or more colonies of bees within the State of Utah shall register with the Department of Agriculture and Food…”...
Liberty IS Violated: Highland Business Closure is Illegitimate
In July we published a post urging Highland City residents to oppose efforts to reinstate a city ordinance restricting the right of private individuals and businesses to engage in peaceful commerce on Sunday. I argued then that...
Sandy City Snubs Local Businesses, Offers Preferential Tax Treatment to Scheels
The imposition of taxes by government entities is defended as a necessary evil. Many conservatives and others that theoretically believe in smaller government and fewer taxes contend that some taxes are necessary, that...
TRT—Come On, It’s Free!
According to the Utah State Tax Commission, a transient room tax (TRT) can be imposed by a county, city, or town. TRT is essentially a tax on hotel rooms (hotels, motels, inns, trailer courts, campgrounds, etc…)....
Utah’s UTOPIA: Necessary Infrastructure or an Illegitimate Pseudo-Market?
A showdown in Orem earlier this week highlighted some of the (significant) problems faced by the Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency, commonly known as UTOPIA. It also puts on open display the rampant violation of...
The Tyranny of the Local Majority
Residents in Highland, Utah wish to force property owners in that city to close their businesses on Sunday and are gathering signatures on a petition to put the issue on November’s ballot. Put differently, residents in that...
Keep the Sabbath Day Holy, Or Else!
With a vote of 3-2, the Highland City Council recently lifted longstanding restrictions that prohibited businesses from operating on Sunday. After much debate and community input, councilmen Tom Butler, Scott Smith, and Tim...
By the Sweat of Thy Brow: Property, Taxation, and Theft
Adam was told by God that “By the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat bread…” (Genesis 3:19). This was man’s introduction to the basic principle of self-reliance. Another translation of the same verse of...
Liberty Cannot Exist Without Private Property
The goal of Libertas Institute is to reach out to people across the political spectrum throughout the state of Utah and to promote the three pillars of good government: individual liberty, private property, and free enterprise. ...