Utah and the Fiscal Cliff
Most of the talk in Washington and in the news media lately has been regarding the notorious “Fiscal Cliff,” a combination of a raise in taxes and across-the-board spending cuts. The term Fiscal Cliff was coined to...
Governor Gary Herbert’s Fiscal Report Card
In its newly released “Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors” for 2012, the CATO Institute has weighed in on the fiscal policies of each governor from a limited-government perspective. How did...
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...
Free-Market Healthcare Solutions Are Already in Place
When I first read this story of a volunteer medical/dental clinic in St. George, I was not as awestruck as others might be. A community of volunteer professional healthcare providers coming together to serve those in need is...
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…)....
An Alternative to Financing Public Works: A Case for Privatization
For the last five years the U.S. economy has been in the dumps. Yields on savings and CDs have plummeted. Corresponding borrowing rates have been attractive for households, and, apparently, states and municipalities as well....