Tax Commission sends FY2028 budget request to governor, seeks two ALJs and fund increases

The Utah State Tax Commission voted unanimously to submit its FY2028 budget request to the governor's office. Executive Director Deanna Herring detailed the request, which includes a $2,000,000 increase in the electronic payment restricted account to offset credit-card processing costs; funding for two additional administrative law judge (ALJ) positions at a total cost of $466,900 to help address an appeals backlog; and a $3,000,000 current-year and $2,000,000 ongoing increase for the license-plate restricted account to cover plates, decals and mailing costs.

Herring also described a request of just over $11.2 million related to implementing a targeted-advertising tax (as referenced in the presentation), a $600,000 one-time request for short-term-rental address verification, a proposed auctioneer's license fee, and several fee adjustments (including raising the electronic payment fee ceiling and increasing plate mailing charges). Commissioners asked about the funding source for the ALJs; Herring said the funding is proposed from the sales-and-use administrative account, which is tied to local government use. The commission approved the budget submission and then opened a public hearing on the fee proposals (no substantive public testimony was recorded at the hearing).