File: Utah State Capitol
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah State lawmakers are considering a sales tax cut, but it’s smaller than what Governor Gary Herbert wants.
“This is quite a policy decision we are talking about there,” Sen. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville, said on the floor of the state Senate on Tuesday.
Senators are debating a $150 million tax cut. The governor outlined a proposal for a $200 million tax cut in his State of the State address.
Harper says the reduced amount up for debate has to do with past promises to reduce the sales tax rate, once Utah could collect online sales taxes.
“We would go through and reduce the sales tax rate in order to get everyone, especially those complying in local businesses, the same level tax rate,” Harper said.
Senate Bill 99 drops the sales tax rate from 4.7 percent to 4.45 percent. It got unanimous early approval from the Senate, but must clear several more hurdles before it would head to Gov. Herbert’s desk.