selfish vs. selfless

If you ever wanted to know how many Democrats there are proportionally in Utah, it is better not to ask the party affiliation question but this question: would you rather have a tax cut, or an increase in government services?

The Dan Jones & Associates poll of 400 Utahns conducted this past week shows that 38 percent of Utahns want a $100 million tax cut, as suggested by GOP Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.
Nineteen percent favor a $300 million tax cut, a number already approved by Utah House Republicans. Together, 57 percent of Utahns told Jones they want some kind of tax cut in 2007.
But 37 percent said they don't want any tax cuts this year. They favor just spending the extra cash on state programs, Jones found.

Thirty-seven percent. That is what Utah Democrats are up against these days. But people's selfish tendencies have been overcome before. Look at TRAX where, although it took a decade or so to get light rail, once implemented, the public was willing to raise their taxes for it.

If somehow the public can see the benefit to its high tax burden, they will be willing to pay for it. But when it just goes to adding more roads and irrigation, without less traffic or better agricultural production, they aren't willing to let the state government have their cash. Spend it on education Pre-K to 12, and post-secondary. Get more teachers more classrooms more books. Make college tuition completely tax deductable and more affordable.

But whatever you do, don't give the wealthy a useless tax cut.