Nay on A!
Wording from Ballot: Shall the Utah Constitution be amended to allow income tax money to be used for all state needs and prioritize public education funding for changes in enrollment and inflation? If this amendment is approved, state statute will eliminate the state sales tax on food.
Utah PTA took a position of OPPOSE on SJR10- which is now Amendment A.
What is Utah PTA’s position of OPPOSE based on?
Utah PTA Education Resolution - EDU 2023-1 | Education Funding
- Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations oppose the dilution of the constitutional mandate to fully fund public education and oppose income tax cuts and credits that directly reduce the amount allocated to public education funding.
What you need to know:
- Constitutional Earmark that solely funds K-12, higher education and services for children and individuals with disabilities will be removed and education funding will go to other state needs
- The sales tax on food would only be the STATE portion of the sales tax, you will still see sales tax on food on your receipt.
B is Best to provide for our schools!
Wording from Ballot: Shall the Utah Constitution be amended to increase the limit on the annual distributions from the State School Fund to public schools from 4% to 5% of the fund?
Utah PTA SUPPORTS increased Trustlands funds
- The Trustlands funds are well managed and growing. That means the kids in 50 years will be getting larger amounts to fund their schools. To help balance that, if you vote YES on Amendment B, you will help increase the allocation of funds to our schools- up to 5% instead of the current 4%.
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If Amendment B were in place today, students would receive $120 million rather than $106 million in LAND Trust distributions this school year.
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Raising the cap costs taxpayers nothing, it simply increases the percentage of School LAND Trust distributions schools may receive from the Permanent State School Fund.
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Amendment B aims to create more balanced distributions from the Permanent School Fund for current and future school children.
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To see how much more will be in your school district, from NO increased taxes, If you vote yes: see attachment below: Amendment B District Data
D is for Don’t - Keep the Power of the People, with the People!
Wording from Ballot:
Should the Utah Constitution be changed to strengthen the initiative process by: - Prohibiting foreign influence on ballot initiatives and referendums. - Clarifying the voters and legislative bodies’ ability to amend laws. If approved, state law would also be changed to: - Allow Utah citizens 50% more time to gather signatures for a statewide referendum. - Establish requirements for the legislature to follow the intent of a ballot initiative.
Utah PTA is OPPOSED to Amendment D
What is Utah PTA’s position of OPPOSE based on?
Utah PTA Resolution - COM -2020-1| Protecting Utahns Right to Semi-Direct Democracy Through Initiatives and Popular Referenda
Utah PTA and its constituent bodies support the right of the people to participate in direct democracy through initiatives and referenda and oppose any legislation that weakens their ability to do so.
Utah PTA states:
To allow citizens to act as a check against the actions of a legislative body, many states have provided for a system of direct democracy in the form of the citizen-initiated referendum (also called an initiative) and popular referendum (collectively called “ballot measures”)
A citizen-initiated referenda empowers members of the general public to propose, by petition, specific statutory measures to the government without involving the legislature or the governor, by gathering a minimum percentage of registered voters’ signatures to qualify a proposition on a statewide general election ballot, to be approved by a majority of those voting
if put into place, Amendment D would allow the legislature to change (or amend) even after the people have voted.