Well, it looks like today we are talking about guns. What separates this bill from the one discussed previously is that Senator John Valentine (R – Orem, District 14) has produced a long over due bill with SB 36 – Concealed Firearm Act Amendments. It should come as no surprise to anyone that getting a concealed weapons [...]
Archive for the ‘Taxation and Government Spending’ Category
Bills to Watch: HJR 1 – Joint Resolution Amending State and Local Taxing Authority, C. Wimmer
I was recently alerted to HJR 1 – Joint Resolution Amending State and Local Taxing Authority by none other than the bills sponsor, Representative Carl Wimmer (R – Herriman, District 52). At first blush, I found his description of the resolution rather mundane when he described it to me – I was mildly opposed to it, but not enough to, [...]
Bills to Watch: HB 199 – Advertisements on School Buses, J. Bird
Want to know how bad education funding is? It has gotten to the point that Representative Jim Bird (R-West Jordan, District 42) thinks that the only solution is to put advertisements on school buses. Yes, yes, I know. We couldn’t possibly raise the tax on people with 15 children in the system while I continue to (happily I [...]
Yes on Proposition 1 – Utah Museum of Natural History Project
What is the price of education worth to you? Can you do without that hilarious iPhone app that makes fart noises for another month? How about missing out on supersizing your fries twice? Perhaps you get regular gas for one fill-up. Well that is exactly what Proposition 1 is asking you to pony up a whopping $2.40 [...]
I am the face of modern unemployment
I constantly hear those on the Right complain about the freeloaders and moochers who use the system to avoid actually working. Well, to all the commentators out there, let me explain my story in brief in a feeble attempt to break your close-mindedness. I am: White Male Middle Class College Educated In debt because of [...]
How to Reduce Utah’s Budget – Drop Legislative Research
I do believe that I have come up with a true cost cutter for the state of Utah – eliminate the Office of Legislative Research and General Council as it is clearly an office that is not used by wise and insightful legislature. For those of you who do not know that LRGC is, don’t [...]
Bills to Watch: HB 217 – Income Tax Revisions, C. Wimmer
I swear, I did not set out to pick apart Carl Wimmer (R-Herriman-District 52) during this legislative session, it just seems to me that he is one of the worst legislators when it comes to drafting sound policy. I direct your attention to HB 217 – Income Tax Revisions. I want you all to think [...]
Bills to Watch: HB 196 – Tobacco Tax Revisions, P. Ray
This time last year, I was complaining about Representative Paul Ray’s (R-Clearfield-District 13) attempt to raise taxes on tobacco in the state. Well, I am back to complain again. Now, to be fair, Ray’s bill, HB 196 – Tobacco Tax Revisions, is a more toned down version of last years bill. This does not mean, [...]
You Gonna Eat That?
As clamor continues to rise around the possibility of raising the food tax, one has to wonder why Republicans are eager to reinstate this regressive tax. In an oh so unofficial poll issued by Fox news of “political insiders,” some 68 percent of Republicans (presumably legislators among them) say that they support reinstating the tax, [...]
Rubber Laws and Liquor
As the state is staring down a $1 Billion deficit, some difficult decisions have to be made regarding how we are going to balance our budget while still providing for the needs of the citizens of the state of Utah. To be sure, cuts are going to have to be made to make sure that [...]