MINUTES OF THE

SENATE REVENUE AND TAXATION STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 250, Utah State Capitol

February 24, 2016

 

Members Present:     Sen. Deidre M. Henderson, Chair

                                    Sen. Jim Dabakis

                                    Sen. Wayne Harper

                                    President Wayne L. Niederhauser

                                    Sen. Howard Stephenson

 

Member Excused:     Sen. Gene Davis

 

Members Absent:      Sen. Curtis S. Bramble

                                   

Staff Present:             Mr. Leif Elder, Policy Analyst

                                    Ms. Nancy Skidmore, Committee Secretary

 

NOTE:  A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.

 

Chair Henderson called the meeting to order at 8:05 a.m.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Harper moved to approve the minutes of the February 17, 2016 and the February 19, 2016 meetings. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis and Pres. Niederhauser absent for the vote.

 

Chair Henderson relinquished the chair to Sen. Harper.    

 

S.B. 164       Local Government Modifications (Sen. D. Henderson)

 

Sen. Henderson explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Henderson moved to amend the bill as follows:

I.                    Page 4, Line 120 through Page 5, Line 123: 


             120             (8) (a) (i)  A taxpayer who pays less than the full amount   {of the items listed}    due   on the

             121             taxpayer's property tax notice may, on a form provided by the county treasurer, direct how the

             122             county treasurer allocates the partial payment between the   {items listed on the taxpayer's

             123             property tax notice}    total amount due for property tax, the amount due for assessments, the amount due for past due local district fees, and any other amounts due on the property tax notice  .


 

2.         Page 6, Lines 170 through 173: 


                               170        (6) (a) (i)  A taxpayer who pays less than the full amount   {of the items listed}    due   on the

                                171        taxpayer's property tax notice may, on a form provided by the county treasurer, direct how the

                             172        county treasurer allocates the partial payment between the   {items listed on the taxpayer's

                         173        property tax notice}    total amount due for property tax, the amount due for assessments, the amount due for past due local district fees, and any other amounts due on the property tax notice  .

 

The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis and Pres. Niederhauser absent for the vote.

 

Spoke to the bill:                     Mr. Lincoln Shurtz, Director of Government Affairs, Utah Association of Counties

                                    Mr. LeGrand Bitter, Executive Director, Utah Association of Special Districts

 

MOTION:  Sen. Henderson moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with Sen.

                     Stephenson voting in opposition and Sen. Dabakis and Pres. Niederhauser absent

                     for the vote.

 

Sen. Henderson resumed the chair.

 

S.B. 180       Optional Tax Increase Amendments (Sen. L. Hillyard)

 

Sen. Hillyard explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. George Chapman

 

Spoke against the bill:             Mr. David Litvack, Deputy Chief of Staff, Salt Lake Mayor’s Office

 

MOTION:  Sen. Harper moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis and Pres. Niederhauser absent for the vote.

 

H.B. 183      County Option Sales and Use Tax for Highways and Public Transit (Rep. J. Draxler)

 

Rep. Draxler explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:                     Mr. Andrew Gruber, Executive Director, Wasatch Front Research Council

                                                Mr. George Chapman

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. Cameron Diehl, Division of Government Liaison, Utah League of Cities and Towns

                                                Mr. Craig W. Buttars, Executive, Cache County      

                                               

 

MOTION:  Sen. Harper moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously

                     with Sen. Dabakis and Pres. Niederhauser absent for the vote.

 

S.B. 182       Sales and Use Tax Revisions (Sen. W. Harper)

 

MOTION:   Sen. Harper moved S.B. 182 be replaced with 1st Sub. S.B. 182. The motion passed unanimously with Pres. Niederhauser absent for the vote.

 

Sen. Harper explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. Kory Holdaway

                                                Mr. Dave Davis, President, Utah Retail Merchants Association

                                                Mr. Roger Tew, Utah League of Cities and Towns

                                               

Spoke against the bill:             Mr. George Chapman

                                                Mr. Chad Waite, Marketing Manager, AvantLink

                                                Mr. Gary Thorup, Attorney, eBay

                                                Mr. Mark Griffin, General Counsel, Overstock.com

                                                Ms. Evelyn Everton, State Director, Americans for Prosperity

 

MOTION:  Sen. Dabakis moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously.

 

H.B. 63        Fees for Government Records Requests (Rep. Brian S. King)

 

Rep. King explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Dabakis moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Pres. Niederhauser absent for the vote.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Dabakis moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously with Pres. Niederhauser absent for the vote.

 

Chair Henderson adjourned the meeting at 9:54 a.m.

 

                                                                                                                                

 

__________________________

Sen. Deidre M. Henderson, Chair