SALT LAKE CITY — The house committee voted through Senate Joint Resolution Two, a proposed constitutional amendment that would raise the threshold for a citizen ballot initiative to pass -- if it raises taxes.
Up next, the resolution will head to the House for a full vote.
“Nobody likes their neighbors to raise taxes on them, I certainly don’t,” said Rep. Paul Cutler.
This isn't the first time SJR2 has been voted on. “This bill, that you guys have so wisely passed, for two straight years. Has now passed the Senate and is now back before you. Ready to pass,” said Sen. Lincoln Fillmore.
Fillmore, the bill's sponsor, shared that it’s really about letting the citizens decide for themselves.
“By putting this proposal on the values, how easy do you want it to be for your neighbors to raise your taxes? We need that broad consensus with 60% support to pass an initiative that would raise taxes that really is the completeness of the resolution,” said Fillmore
People who participated in public comment felt otherwise.
“There’s no need to add an additional hurdle in the form of a supermajority requirement that effectively ends majority rule undermining the power of the people,” said Chase Thomas, Alliance For a Better Utah.
Some Utahns showed up in favor of SJR2.
“The best interest of the people in the taxpayers of Utah to give them the opportunity to voice off on this ability to make taxes a little more thoughtful awareness,” said Billy Hesterman, President for Utah Taxpayers Association.
Wednesday afternoon, SJR2 passed seven to three but still had to be heard by the full floor.
“This legislator is trying to give the people of the state the opportunity by having their voice heard by having this put on the ballot,” said Rep. Jason Thompson.
A bill run in tandem with the amendment requires anyone who runs a citizen initiative to pay 1.4 million for newspaper notices to tell the public about it.
