Official says Utah lawmakers need to tweak state tax laws

Official says Utah lawmakers need to tweak state tax laws

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A state tax official says lawmakers should meet in a special session this summer to stave off a higher tax bill that some Utah families could face next year.

Utah Tax Commission Chairman John Valentine said Tuesday at a conference of the Utah Taxpayers Association that the overhaul of U.S. tax laws passed by Congress in 2017 effectively canceled out several Utah tax credits.

That’s because the state’s tax code is tied to the federal tax code.

Valentine says tax credits for people with children, including families with children who donate an organ, a $100 stay-at-home-parent credit and a $900 credit for health care plans could be revived if the Legislature makes some changes.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports Valentine didn’t know what reinstating the credits would cost but said it would likely be a small effect on the state budget.