This is along the lines of a Utah Foundation report about a decade ago that showed Utahns pay less in property taxes, as a percentage of income, than they did in 1965.
Of course, history means little when you’re digging into your pocket to give money to government. Ask a roomful of people how much of a tax burden seems appropriate and you’re likely to find yourself wishing you were closer to the door.
What does this all mean? Very little, unless politicians understand that every dollar they collect for government is a dollar people could have spent on other things, including personal savings. Low unemployment rates and job growth are not a given. People won’t move here for the mountain scenery alone. Government has legitimate needs, including a high burden for public education, but it can’t lose sight of who ultimately pays the bills.
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