At his monthly press conference on Thursday Sept. 19, Gov. Cox answered several questions regarding education in Utah, specifically about Constitutional Amendment B, which will be presented to Utahns on the ballot in November.
The proposed amendment would remove the income tax earmark for education in Utah, allowing it to be used for other state priorities, such as public safety and healthcare.
Cox asserted that the “earmark has never worked the way it was intended to … and so instead of keeping up that charade, what we should do is actually put some protections in place, which we've done via legislation.”
Cox voiced his support for the amendment and explained that it would include a protection linking education funding to fluctuations in inflation and enrollment. This would ensure the education budget grows as the number of students increases and as costs rise.
The governor further explained that the state of Utah has seen around a 25-35% increase in education spending over the past four years. And he claimed that this was achieved in spite of the earmark, and not because of it.
However, critics worry that removing the earmark will weaken the protection of education funding. Since statutory guarantees are not as robust as constitutional ones, education spending could be left more vulnerable to budget cuts in the future.
But Cox went on to emphasize that one of the biggest upsides to the amendment would be the removal of the sales tax on food.
“And that's something that I think everybody should support as well," he said. "Getting that reduction is going to be meaningful for families, for everyone, but especially families at the margins, who are struggling.”
Cox also addressed other issues that have been on the minds of Utahns such as the lawsuit filed over the Inland Port project, and the recent increase of political violence and threats against members of Congress and other political figures.
The governor condemned these threats and repeatedly stressed his message of unity.
“I want to be clear that unity does not mean that we all agree," Cox explained, "but unity is acting together and acting together in productive ways ... I'm committed to doing that, and I hope people will judge me based on my behavior.”
