Picture this: You’re walking through the grocery store, tossing the usual essentials into your cart—milk, bread, veggies. You make it to the checkout, and just as the total flashes on the screen, a politician taps you on the shoulder and whispers, “Hey, wanna pay a little less for those groceries? Just let me sneak one thing by you.” Sounds tempting, right? But then you look down, and instead of a coupon, they’re holding a bulldozer aimed right at the foundation of Utah’s public education system. Welcome to Amendment A, a cleverly disguised wrecking ball aimed at the future of our schools.
Sure, the politicians will tell you it’s all about cutting the sales tax on food, and yes, a food tax cut sounds like a gift. Who doesn’t want to pay a little less at the checkout? But here’s the catch—this isn’t about the food tax. No, this is about gutting one of the few protections Utah’s schools have left.
The Bait: A Modest Food Tax Cut
Amendment A promises to eliminate the state portion of the sales tax on food. Great, right? Well, let’s not break out the confetti just yet. That state sales tax amounts to about 1.75%. You’ll save a few bucks each grocery trip, but guess what? You’ll still be paying the local portion of that tax, and the overall savings won’t be much more than pocket change.
Meanwhile, the real cost of this amendment will hit where it hurts—our children’s classrooms.
It’s not that cutting the food tax is bad in and of itself—it’s that the politicians are dangling it in front of us as a way to distract from the Trojan horse hiding behind it. And that horse? It’s packed with a scheme to remove the constitutional guarantee that ensures income tax revenue is earmarked for education.
The Switch: Pulling the Rug from Under Public Schools
Right now, income tax in Utah is tied directly to public education. The Constitution says that our schools and programs for individuals with disabilities get a steady, reliable cut of that income tax pie. It’s a clear, simple promise: You pay income taxes, and that money helps fund Utah’s students.
But if Amendment A passes? That promise gets ripped to shreds. Income tax money would no longer be protected, and education funding would be competing with every other state need—from roads to prisons to who-knows-what pet project lawmakers come up with next. And before you say, “Well, they’ve promised to prioritize education,” let’s get real: Does anyone really believe the same lawmakers who’ve consistently underfunded our schools are suddenly going to change their stripes?
The Legislature’s Sneaky Track Record
Utah’s Legislature has always been quick to slash taxes and shift funds, often leaving our schools to pick up the pieces. We’re talking about a body that ranks near the bottom in the nation for per-pupil spending, year after year. Yet now they want us to trust them to protect public education without the constitutional earmark that’s been its lifeline? That’s like trusting the fox to guard the henhouse—except in this case, the fox has a bulldozer, and the henhouse is our kids’ future.
And here’s the kicker: They don’t need Amendment A to cut the food tax. If the Legislature really wanted to give Utah families relief at the grocery store, they could pass a simple bill to remove the food tax. No constitutional change required. But they’re using this tax cut as a carrot to get voters to accept something far more destructive—removing the only solid funding protection Utah’s schools have.
Deja Vu: Just Like Amendment D
If this feels familiar, it’s because we’ve seen it before. Remember Amendment D? That deceptive proposal used similar smoke and mirrors—offering up minor tweaks to the initiative process while quietly aiming to strip away our rights to direct democracy. The courts struck it down, but the Legislature’s tactics haven’t changed. Just like Amendment D, Amendment A is a classic bait-and-switch, using something shiny (in this case, a tax cut) to sneak through a policy that will have devastating long-term effects.
What’s Really at Stake
This isn’t just about a few dollars off your grocery bill—it’s about the future of public education in Utah. Right now, our Constitution guarantees that a portion of income tax revenue goes straight to our schools. Amendment A would blow up that guarantee and leave education funding at the mercy of the same lawmakers who have repeatedly failed to make it a priority.
Imagine a world where education has to compete with every other state program for a piece of the pie, where the steady funding that schools rely on is no longer protected. That’s not just risky—it’s downright dangerous. It’s a recipe for disaster, and the ones who will pay the price aren’t the politicians, but the students sitting in overcrowded classrooms with outdated textbooks and overworked teachers.
The Bottom Line: Don’t Fall for the Bait
Amendment A is a classic case of politicians trying to have it both ways. They’re hoping we’ll be so distracted by the promise of a small food tax cut that we won’t notice they’re dismantling one of the few protections our schools have left.
Let’s not fall for it. Vote NO on Amendment A, and send a clear message to the Legislature: You can’t trade away our children’s future for a few dollars at the checkout. Our schools—and our kids—deserve better.
Amendment A on Utah's 2024 ballot proposes removing the constitutional earmark that guarantees income tax revenue is allocated to public education and services for children with disabilities. In exchange, it promises to eliminate the state portion of the sales tax on food, raising concerns about the future stability of school funding.
Full Text of the Ballot Initiative:
"Shall the Utah Constitution be amended to allow income tax money to be used for all state needs and prioritize public education funding for changes in enrollment and inflation? If this amendment is approved, state statute will eliminate the state sales tax on food." (Ballotpedia) (Utah PTA Review of Initiatives)