Utah Republicans are to blame for your property tax increase

Remember those Utah RepublICAN billboards last year?

Especially the one that said "I Can pay fewer taxes?"

Yeah, about that:

Taxes will be the topic Tuesday night at a "truth in taxation" hearing in Riverton. Many are expected to voice concerns about a new law requiring taxpayers throughout Salt Lake County to pay $10 million for the split of the Jordan School District.

Lawmakers in the GOP-controlled Utah Legislature first passed the law allowing the split, then passed the law that puts the cost of the split on the shoulders of taxpayers all over the county. In Salt Lake City, for instance, that hike will cost $57 for every $100,000 in home value.

Many taxpayers who don't live in the Jordan District are expressing surprise this week as they're opening up their tax notices and find their school taxes are up.

"We're the ones who stood up on the Senate floor, who stood up on the House floor, and said, 'This will raise your taxes,'" said Senate Minority Leader Pat Jones.

KSL 5 News looked at the vote on the school funding equalization bill in 2008 and found a nearly party-line divide: 68 Republican lawmakers, all but a few, voted 'yes;' nearly all Democrats voted 'no.'

Darn that liberal (Church-owned) media!

-Bob

Special Session Wednesday -- School Districts and Puppy Torture

Governor Huntsman has called the legislators into special session this coming Wednesday, August 22. This is to fix problems that have arisen in the school district split controversy.

Oh, and there's one more major thing they are discussing.

Remember when, at the end of the session, the legislators pushed until beyond the last minute the puppy torture bill? And how, when they "passed" it too late on purpose, they could say that they tried, but "ran out of time," thereby thrying to appease supporters of the bill, yet not actually have it go into effect?

Well, Gov Huntsman is calling their bluff. Puppy Torture is on the agenda Wednesday.

-Bob