I’m a fiscal conservative, a business owner, and a past Utah Republican nominee for office — and I oppose Amendment B.
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Proponents of the ballot measure describe it as a straightforward way to keep your neighbors from raising your taxes. That pitch sounds appealing in theory. After all, who wants to give someone else the power to raise their taxes?
But there is much more to Amendment B than that simple framing suggests. At its core, Amendment B shifts power away from Utah voters and consolidates it in the hands of the state Legislature. For those of us who believe government should be more accountable to the people it serves rather than less, this is a dangerous trade-off.
Yes, protecting taxpayers is essential, but weakening Utahns’ fundamental right to self-govern goes too far.
Under the Utah Constitution, citizens hold an essential check on legislative power: the ballot initiative. When lawmakers refuse to act or lose touch with their constituents, citizens can gather signatures and bring issues directly to the voters.
Currently, a ballot initiative passes with a simple majority — 50% plus one. Amendment B changes the rules for tax-related initiatives, raising the threshold to a 60% supermajority. That might sound like a reasonable safeguard on the surface, but many of the initiatives that directly affect our communities involve taxes, including those that address infrastructure, housing, education, public safety and mental health. What proponents present as a narrow scope could easily become a blanket tool to override Utahns’ policy choices across a wide range of issues.
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Furthermore, requiring 60% approval is an extraordinarily high bar. Over the past 130 years of Utah history, only two citizen-led initiatives have ever reached that threshold. Passing Amendment B would effectively shut down the ballot-initiative process entirely.
Supporters claim this amendment is necessary to block out-of-state special interest money, but that argument ignores a glaring double standard. Utah state law places no limits on campaign contributions, allowing lawmakers to accept unlimited out-of-state corporate and Political Action Committee (PAC) dollars. If outside financial influence is truly a threat to Utah, the solution is campaign finance reform — not stripping Utahns of their constitutional rights.
Proponents argue that tax decisions require broader consensus. But in governance, as in business, true consensus isn’t built by locking people out. Whether we are planning energy infrastructure or managing rapid economic growth, top-down approaches that sideline the public trade political wins for loss of institutional trust.
Put simply, Amendment B shifts power away from everyday Utahns and hands it to state government, crippling our ability to hold politicians accountable through ballot initiatives. Utahns deserve leadership that respects voter authority. We can champion low taxes and fiscal discipline without surrendering our constitutional checks and balances. I urge my fellow Utahns to vote No on Amendment B.
Read more Opinion: Vote yes on Amendment B — higher taxes should require broader agreement