All Posts

Nothing is Certain in Life, Except Death and the Volatility of Income Taxes

Individual income tax is one of the most discussed and examined sources of revenue in Utah, and for good reason -- most of us pay...
February 17, 2023

Passing the Baton: Subcommittees Present Priorities to Executive Appropriations Committee

We've crossed the halfway point of the 45-day General Session, meaning that appropriations subcommittees have officially concluded their work to review agency budgets, make necessary...
February 9, 2023

Hidden in Plain (Web)sites

Each year, appropriators spend most of the Legislative General Session jockeying for available General and Income Tax Fund revenue. That’s understandable, given that the General...
February 3, 2023

Walking the Line: What Value is the State Getting for its Investments?

It’s budget season.  Each year during the General Session, the Legislature appropriates the state budget – but the budget isn’t just money to be spent. ...
January 27, 2023

The ABCs of RFAs

Requests for Appropriation – commonly referred to as RFAs – are a method for legislators to obtain funding for a public project, or to expand...
January 20, 2023

Revenues Get a Jump on General Session

The Utah State Tax Commission published its revenue summary for the first half of FY 2023 on the first day of Legislative General Session. As...
January 17, 2023

Getting Schooled Pt. 2: the Minimum School Program and Property Taxes

Multiple factors contribute to the amount of property tax a homeowner pays, including the Minimum Basic Tax Rate. The Minimum Basic Tax Rate is the...
January 6, 2023

Too Blessed to be Stressed: Utah Fares Well in 2023 Budget Stress Test

In 2016, the Utah Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst (LFA) and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget (GOPB) conducted their first stress testing...
December 30, 2022

New Performance Measurement and Efficiency Improvement Initiative Wraps Up Its First Year

In the 2021 General Session, the Legislature passed H.B. 326, “Performance Reporting and Efficiency Requirements,” which codified and expanded performance measurement and created an efficiency...
December 23, 2022

Revenues Still Merry, and Fiscal Reserves Appear Bright

On December 15th, 2022 the Tax Commission released their revenue summary through the first five months of the fiscal year. Along with that summary, the...
December 16, 2022

LFA Releases Governor’s Budget Summary

Last week, Governor Spencer Cox released his budget recommendations for FY 2023 - FY 2024, announcing Tax and Education items on December 9th with the...
December 13, 2022

The Numbers Are In: LFA Releases the 2022 Medicaid Consensus Forecast

Background Medicaid is a federal and state program that pays for medical services for low-income, disabled, and elderly individuals. In order to qualify, individuals must...
December 9, 2022