The gap has been widening over the past two decades, with funding for education impacted by a series of tax cuts and rule changes over the years, especially mid-90s reform to property tax assessments and legislation in 2007 that essentially eliminated income tax brackets.
An analysis published by the Utah Foundation, a nonpartisan research group, suggested the state has dramatically cut its investment in education over the past 20 years. In 1995 Utah ranked 7th in the nation in education funding when measured as a percentage of earned income, according to the report. By 2015, it had fallen to 37th place.
But local lawmakers say a straight income tax increase may not be the best way to come up with the funds.
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