House panel passes bill to prevent 'gamesmanship' in tax increase initiatives

SALT LAKE CITY — A bill aimed at making the percentage of a proposed tax increase by ballot initiative more transparent won approval from a House committee Monday.

Under HB255, the proposed tax rate must be divided by the current tax rate to calculate the percentage difference. The proposed percentage increase would have to appear on the initiative petition, public hearing notice, fiscal impact statement, voter information pamphlet and ballot title.

"It prevents, what I believe, is the gamesmanship by showing either a decimal place or a fraction that may not tell the whole story of what the tax increase is," said bill sponsor Rep. Dan McCay, R-Riverton.

There has been some controversy over the size of the Our Schools Now proposal to raise personal income tax to generate money for public schools.

Read more: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673258/House-panel-passes-bill-to-prevent-gamesmanship-in-tax-increase-initiatives.html