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S.J.R. 10

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RESOLUTION URGING REEVALUATION OF

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CENTRALLY ASSESSED

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROVIDERS

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1997 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Sponsor: Howard A. Stephenson

7    A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATURE URGING THE UTAH STATE TAX
8    COMMISSION TO CONSIDER ELIMINATING THE HIGHER VALUATION METHOD
9    APPLIED TO CENTRALLY ASSESSED TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROPERTY IN
10    FAVOR OF THE COST-LESS-DEPRECIATION METHOD; AND REQUESTING A
11    REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE.
12    Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
13        WHEREAS state-of-the-art, high-capacity telecommunications infrastructure is vital to the
14    quality of life and to the economic well-being of Utah;
15        WHEREAS the telecommunications industry provides attractive employment in terms of
16    wage scales, a clean workplace, and technical training for the people of Utah;
17        WHEREAS the placement of high speed fiber optic networks and electronic switching
18    centers in Utah increases Utah's chances of attracting information-dependent enterprise to the state
19    and accelerates the practice of worker telecommuting;
20        WHEREAS Utah's tax policies discriminate between locally assessed telecommunications
21    providers and centrally assessed telecommunications providers;
22        WHEREAS Utah's unit valuation of centrally assessed telecommunications property is the
23    highest in the country;
24        WHEREAS centrally assessed telecommunications providers annually appeal the Utah
25    State Tax Commission's valuation of their property and have successfully sued the state for
26    excessive valuations; and
27        WHEREAS such excessive valuations may discourage the establishment of regional and


1    national telecommunications centers in Utah:
2        NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah urge
3    the Utah State Tax Commission to h [ consider ] STUDY h eliminating the h [ higher ]
3a     CURRENT h valuation
3a    method applied to
4    centrally assessed telecommunications property in favor of h ALTERNATIVE METHODS, INCLUDING h
4a    the cost-less-depreciation method used
5    for locally assessed taxpayers.
6        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature request the Utah State Tax
7    Commission to issue a report to the Legislature prior to December 1, 1997, evaluating the revenue
8    consequences of, and all other considerations with respect to h [, having all telecommunications
9    property valued for tax purposes using the same method as for locally assessed taxpayers
] THE

9a     ALTERNATIVE METHODS STUDIED h .
10        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah State Tax
11    Commission.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-9-97 12:38 PM


A limited legal review of this bill raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel





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lilac-March 5, 1997


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