(The Center Square) – In 2025, the Utah legislature implemented policies to reduce state income taxes by $215 million and restrict taxpayer-funded subsidies from supporting green energy products. However, not all Utah lawmakers supported the taxpayer-friendly legislation.
The nonprofit Club for Growth Foundation reviewed 1,950 floor votes taken by the Utah legislature in 2025, specifically selecting 18 votes in both the Utah House and Senate to score based on its support of “pro-growth” policies. Club for Growth reviewed each state lawmaker’s vote and assigned them a score based on their support of deregulation, lower taxes and budget reform.
The Club for Growth Foundation opposed the Utah House and Senate’s unanimous passage of a bill comprising part of the state’s annual budget. The bill appropriated $30.8 billion in overall spending, a 4.8% increase in total spending from the previous year.
The budget allowed for pay increases for government employees across the board. The Club for Growth estimated the increase in spending cost taxpayers about $2.4 million.
“To create an economic environment that will allow Utah to compete with states across the country, lawmakers must get spending under control and slash regulations to boost competition,” said David McIntosh, president of the Club for Growth Foundation.
Club for Growth supported several other policies the Utah legislature passed including a bill to repeal green energy tax credits. The bill – which passed 59-13 in the Utah House and 16-7 in the Utah Senate – repealed tax credits for solar projects in the state.
“Such crony tax handouts reward special interests with taxpayer-conferred benefits and simultaneously jeopardize the integrity of the grid to make use of unreliable and costly green energy sources,” Club for Growth wrote.
Utah Sen. John Johnson voted to repeal the green energy tax credits whereas Sen. Luz Escamilla voted against the legislation’s proposed repeal. Johnson earned an overall 69% rating in favor of the Club for Growth’s policies while Escamilla received a 0% rating.
Escamilla also voted against legislation that would restrict taxpayer funds from going toward government unions and allowing government employees to opt-out of union membership. The legislation ultimately ended up passing 16-13 in the Utah Senate.
In the Utah House, Rep. Jake Fitisemanu, D-30, opposed restricting taxpayer funds for government unions whereas Rep. Lisa Shepherd R-61, supported the repeal.
“Unions routinely act as political enforcers for far-left activists and causes, and this bill attempts to further curb the ability of union bosses to accrue resources and power at the expense of hard-working Utahns,” Club for Growth wrote.
McIntosh said lawmakers – particularly from conservative states – tend to view federal money as “free” and spend it however they wish.
“The issue of course is that the money isn’t free and once the federal spigot turns off, states must maintain those new programs, which means spending baselines become permanently elevated.” McIntosh said.
In analyzing states across the country, McIntosh said inflation remains a persistent federal issue that states are attempting to address in numerous ways.
“The long-term impact of persistent inflation is causing states to reevaluate tax and regulatory policy in significant ways to provide some relief for overburdened citizens,” McIntosh said. “This is a welcome development as there is increased competition among many states to lower taxes or eliminate some altogether.”
