PRESS RELEASE

August 9, 2001

Contact: Stephen Kroes, Executive Director
(801) 364-1837 or (801) 673-6789
steve@utahfoundation.org

UTAH FOUNDATION STUDY ON TAXES WINS NATIONAL AWARD

Utah Foundation has won the 2001 national award for Most Effective Citizen Education from the Governmental Research Association for its book Financing Government in Utah: A Historical Perspective. The award was presented August 7 at the Governmental Research Association (GRA) annual conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Jeff Browne, Research Director at the Public Policy Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, served as Chairman of the award committee. Mr. Browne said, "The contest judges were tremendously impressed by the content and quality of this book. The committee feels that the book should be required reading for anyone interested in governmental issues, even outside the state of Utah."

Financing Government in Utah: A Historical Perspective provides detailed information on each of Utah's state and local tax sources, including historical origins, legislative and regulatory developments that affected the tax, efforts at tax reform, current tax rates and bases, and revenues collected from the tax over time. Stephen Kroes, Executive Director of Utah Foundation, said, "One of the remarkable things about this book is its insight into Utah's tax history. Readers not only learn when and how tax changes took place, but they also learn who advocated reforms and why they did it."

Regarding the GRA award, Mr. Kroes said, "This award is a tremendous honor for Utah Foundation's staff and Board of Trustees. We thank the John Earnest and Ruth Eleanor Bamberger Memorial Foundation for generous support of this important project. Credit for producing such a quality product goes to my predecessor at Utah Foundation, Michael Christensen, who did a wonderful job uncovering historical facts and figures and placing the data in context with an interesting, easily readable discussion of historical forces, political players, and reasons for tax changes over the years. It is unlike any tax reference I have ever read."

Financing Government in Utah: A Historical Perspective is available for $25 ($10 for Foundation members) from Utah Foundation. To order, call (801) 288-1838, or send check or money order to 5242 College Drive, Suite 390, Salt Lake City, UT 84123.

Utah Foundation is a nonprofit, non-advocacy research organization. Our mission is to encourage informed public policy making and to serve as Utah's trusted source for independent, objective research on crucial public policy issues.

The Governmental Research Association is a national organization of individuals professionally engaged in governmental research. The purpose of the Association is to encourage individuals and organizations to engage in governmental research in the general interest.