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Event in Taylorsville aims to educate Utahns on possible increases to local sales tax

Posted at 5:50 PM, Jul 23, 2015
and last updated 2015-07-23 19:50:05-04

TAYLORSVILLE, Utah -- A group gathered in Taylorsville and handed out $50 gift cards Thursday as part of their message in opposition to a new Utah law relating to local sales tax.

The state legislature passed a measure this year allowing cities and counties in Utah to levy additional sales tax at a local level to fund transportation projects.

The measure is currently being debated by councils and commissions across the state, and on Thursday Americans for Prosperity Utah gathered at a Reams Food Store in Taylorsville to hand out $50 gift cards and discuss the new law with citizens.

Evelyn Everton, State Director for Americans for Prosperity Utah, said the change will hurt middle and low-income families.

“That tax increase is going to be about $50 million for Salt Lake County residents,” she said. “With a million residents, that puts us at about $50 per person, and for a family for four that's $200."

Event organizers said many of the people they talked with Thursday did not know about the local option sales tax. They said they hope to encourage the community to call their city and county councils to learn more and voice their opinions on the proposal.