The Utah Taxpayers Association released its 2015 Legislative Scorecard today.
The Association’s scorecard rated Utah’s 104 legislators on 12 key taxpayer related bills, including the two major tax increases passed during this year’s session. Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, Sen. Deidre Henderson, R-Spanish Fork, and Sen. Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, led the Senate with perfect scores of 100 percent. Rep. Norm Thurston, R-Provo, Rep. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, Rep. Marc Robert, R-Santaquin, Rep. Jon Stanard, R-St. George, Rep. Jim. Dunnigan, R-Taylorsville, Rep. Michael Kennedy, R-Alpine, Rep. Fred Cox, R-West Valley, Rep. Dean Sanpei, R-Provo, Rep. Eric Hutchings, R-Kerns, and Rep. Just Fawson, R-North Ogden, led the House of Representatives all with perfect scores.
Legislators scoring 90 percent or higher receive the distinction as “Friend of the Taxpayer” from the Association. In the Senate five legislators earned the honor. In the House 18 members will be awarded the title for the upcoming year.
“Utah taxpayers will see an increase in their property and fuel taxes due to the actions of the legislature this past session,” said Billy Hesterman, vice president of the Utah Taxpayers Association. “We hope the public takes note of the legislators that stood strong for taxpayers and voted against legislation that increased the tax burden on all Utahns.”
2015 “Friend of the Taxpayer” Recipients:
House of Representatives
Norm Thurston – 100% (R-Provo)
Dan McCay – 100% (R- Riverton)
Marc Roberts – 100% (R-Santaquin)
Jon Stanard – 100% (R-St. George)
Jim Dunnigan – 100% (R-Taylorsville)
Michael Kenneday – 100% (R-Alpine)
Fred Cox – 100% (R-West Valley City)
Dean Sanpei – 100% (R-Provo)
Eric Hutchings – 100% (R-Kerns)
Justin Fawson – 100% (R-North Ogden)
Jeremy Peterson – 90.9% (R-Ogden)
Keven Stratton – 90.9% (R-Orem)
Stewart Barlow – 90.9% (R-Fruit Heights)
Curt Oda – 90.9% (R-Clearfield)
Sophia DiCaro – 90.9% (R-West Valley City)
Robert Spendlove – 90.9% (R-Sandy)
Steven Eliason – 90.9% (R-Sandy)
Mel Brown – 90% (R-Coalville)
Senate
Margaret Dayton – 100% (R-Orem)
Scott Jenkins – 100% (R-Plain City)
Deidre Henderson – 100% (R-Spanish Fork)
David Hinkins – 90.0% (R-Orangeville)
Howard Stephenson – 90.0% (R-Draper)
The 2015 Legislature’s most prominent tax increases were Sen. Aaron Osmond’s, R-South Jordan, SB 97 ($75 million statewide property tax increase) and Rep. Johnny Anderson’s, R-Taylorsville, HB 362 ($145.7 million, local-option sales tax hike for transit and highway projects, and conversion of the fuel tax to a 12 percent rate which results in a 5 cent-per-gallon tax increase immediately and allows for that rate to rise another 10.5 cents-per-gallon as the price of gas increases). SB 97 passed the Senate on a vote of 20-9 and the House on a vote of 43-31. HB 362 passed the House 44-29 and the Senate 20-8.
In the Senate, the highest scoring Democrat was Sen. Karen Mayne, D-West Valley, who earned 80 percent. Sen. Mayne scored higher than 11 Republican Senators. In the House, the highest scoring Democrat was Rep. Susan Duckworth, D-Magna, receiving 81.8 percent. Duckworth scored higher than 38 Republicans in the House.
