Utah's Secret Tax Plan
The wrangling over which version of a "flatter" income tax plan is best for the state has completely eclipsed the fact that a very different income tax fix has been orbiting the statehouse for three years.
If we believed in conspiracies, we would call the so-called Jones-Mascaro plan "the tax reform GOP leaders don't want you to know about."
Republican leadership has blocked any real debate on the plan and quickly strangled it last summer before it could confuse the Tax Reform Task Force. The choice became: Which flavor of "flatter" tax?
Surprisingly, the brainchild of Democrat Pat Jones and moderate Republican Steve Mascaro, doesn't involve collectivizing farms or eating the rich. Jones-Mascaro simply would expand income tax brackets and index them for inflation.
But that makes Jones-Mascaro the anti-matter of Gov. Huntsman's flat-tax ideal. Supporters argue its progressive structure would shift more of the burden of taxation to the wealthy and reduce taxes for most low- and middle-income families.
The plan's truly fatal flaw, of course, is that it also calls for limiting exemptions beyond two per household. Last we heard, Pat and Steve, this is the Utah Legislature.
But a slim chance remains. Jim Ferrin introduced a renegade tax proposal that could open the tax code to examination by the House. And that could make Jones-Mascaro concepts finally part of the debate.
"It's not like it's some Johnny-come-lately," says Jones. "It was three years in the making. It should be considered."
-- Glen Warchol
If we believed in conspiracies, we would call the so-called Jones-Mascaro plan "the tax reform GOP leaders don't want you to know about."
Republican leadership has blocked any real debate on the plan and quickly strangled it last summer before it could confuse the Tax Reform Task Force. The choice became: Which flavor of "flatter" tax?
Surprisingly, the brainchild of Democrat Pat Jones and moderate Republican Steve Mascaro, doesn't involve collectivizing farms or eating the rich. Jones-Mascaro simply would expand income tax brackets and index them for inflation.
But that makes Jones-Mascaro the anti-matter of Gov. Huntsman's flat-tax ideal. Supporters argue its progressive structure would shift more of the burden of taxation to the wealthy and reduce taxes for most low- and middle-income families.
The plan's truly fatal flaw, of course, is that it also calls for limiting exemptions beyond two per household. Last we heard, Pat and Steve, this is the Utah Legislature.
But a slim chance remains. Jim Ferrin introduced a renegade tax proposal that could open the tax code to examination by the House. And that could make Jones-Mascaro concepts finally part of the debate.
"It's not like it's some Johnny-come-lately," says Jones. "It was three years in the making. It should be considered."
-- Glen Warchol
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