A human being in poverty is anxious for self-sufficiency, for meaningful work and for access to quality health care. But the reality is that there are many people, even in Utah and in the United States, who work full time and do not have access to these things.

Of course these people want to contribute to society at large, to pay their fair share, as we all do. However, they want and need to put their basic necessities first. To help these people, we have a broad variety of widely supported, commonsense, bipartisan policies.

One of these policies is exempting food purchases from sales tax, to make food a little easier to purchase, and I was disappointed to hear of the Legislature’s new sales tax on food. I hope we can implement a state earned income tax credit and repeal the sales tax on feminine hygiene products in a future bill with popular support. I am excited by the referendum to repeal the food tax.

I don’t believe this tax reform bill has the support of most Utah citizens. And this is not the first time the Legislature has defied their constituents: They have made referendums require a nearly impossible number of signatures just to get on the ballot, and then they repealed two of the three referendums we passed in 2018. I hope we will reform our political system so that the state Legislature represents the will of the people, rather than defying us.

May government of the people, by the people, for the people, become a reality in the Beehive State.

Michael Davison

Centerville