Utahns are now seeing and hearing campaigns for and against Amendment B, a measure on the November ballot that seeks to change the threshold for passing citizen-initiated tax increases. The Utah State Legislature authorized Amendment B to appear on the ballot during the 2024 legislative session, as reported by FOX 13 News in May.
Currently, a citizen ballot initiative that proposes to raise taxes can pass with a simple majority of 50% plus one vote. If Amendment B is approved by voters, it would raise this requirement, demanding 60% voter approval for such initiatives to pass.
The last time a citizen initiative that led to a tax increase passed was in 2018. In that election, Utahns approved Medicaid expansion under Proposition 3 with 53% of the vote. That same year, voters also legalized medical cannabis and enacted independent redistricting through other initiatives.
Groups are actively campaigning, with Americans for Prosperity (AFP) in Utah urging support for Amendment B. Heather Andrews, director for Americans for Prosperity in Utah, said the group has paid for mailers distributed to voters across the state, calling the issue a "tax monster." AFP Utah plans to launch digital ads to further encourage support for the amendment.
Andrews argues that with current rising costs for gas, housing, and groceries, "what we don't need is a huge tax increase." She states that Amendment B "prevents a tax increase" by requiring a higher majority. Andrews points out that under current rules, "a bare majority can add to that tax burden," while Amendment B would require 60% voter agreement when an initiative tries to raise taxes. She emphasizes that a 60% threshold would provide a "higher barrier" for tax increases placed on Utahns statewide. Andrews also asserts that this higher threshold "protects individuals from ballot initiatives funded by out of state groups" attempting "to impose their priorities on Utah."
Conversely, Better Boundaries, a group known for promoting Proposition 4 for independent redistricting in 2018, has launched a TV ad urging voters to reject Amendment B. The ad declares, "Amendment B is a power grab by politicians."
Elizabeth Rasmussen, Executive Director for Better Boundaries, states that her group aims to highlight the broader implications of the amendment and encourages Utahns to vote it down. Rasmussen explains that Amendment B "would shift a fundamental constitutional right that Utahns have" and would move "that power, to the legislature." She adds that it "makes it significantly harder for certain initiatives to pass."
Rasmussen argues that citizen ballot initiatives serve as a vital mechanism for Utahns to hold government accountable, especially when lawmakers do not act. She notes that lawmakers themselves are elected by a simple majority of 50% plus one. Rasmussen views Amendment B as part of an ongoing pattern where the legislature "is once again trying to thwart citizen initiatives." She cites past instances, including the legislature's reaction when the Supreme Court affirmed the right to ballot initiatives and Amendment D in 2024, as examples of attempts to gain more power.
The outcome of Amendment B appears uncertain, according to a recent public opinion poll by Noble Predictive Insights. The poll suggests Amendment B has "a 50-50 chance of passing," with a significant number of voters still undecided. Campaigns are expected to intensify as the November election approaches.
