Show Passenger Car Taxes Higher in Utah Total taxes imposed on automobiles automobiles automobiles auto auto- mobiles in Utah are relatively high when compared with other Mountain States and the United States as a whole This was the general conclusion conclusion sion reached in a Utah Foundation Foundation Foundation tion analysis of a 1968 survey of user read-user and property taxes en on selected motor vehicles prepared prepared prepared pre pre- pared earlier this year by the US U.S. Bureau of Public Roads According to the Utah Foundation Foundation Foundation Foun Foun- dation report total state and local taxes gasoline registration tion property etc on a typical typical cal 1966 model medel of a small imported imported imported im im- im- im ported passenger car amounts to 60 in Utah compared with an average of 48 in the Mountain Moun tain tamn States and 52 in the United United United Unit Unit- ed States Utah ranked among the 50 states in the tax burden on this type of motor vehicle The total tax burden on a medium weight passenger passenger car 1966 model is equal to 99 in Utah 79 in the Mountain States and 83 53 in the nation as asa asa asa a whole Utah has the highest tax burden in the US U.S. for this type of vehicle For a heavy passenger car the taxes avera average e in Utah in the eight Mountain States and in the the- United States Utah's rank for this vehicle vehicle vehicle ve ve- hicle was seventh among the 50 50 states Although the state and local taxes imposed in Utah on passenger passenger passenger pas pas- automobiles are relatively relatively relatively rela rela- high when compared with other states the report notes noted J 1 that t the thet theL t local ta tax load on most trucks s is is average or somewhat below regional and national averages Foundation analysts point out that the comparisons exclude federal taxes but include state and local property taxes levied on the motor vehicles In most states property taxes have little or no direct relationship to highway use and revenues from frem this source usually are not earmarked for highway pur pur- poses The collection of property prop prop- property erty taxes on motor vehicles however is closely associated with payment of vehicle registration registration registration regis regis- fees fees The property tax comprises a substantial portion of the total taxes paid on motor vehicles in many of the states including Utah The Utah Foundation analysts analysts analysts ana ana- observe that total state user highway tax collections excluding property taxes in all 50 states during the 1967 fiscal year amounted to 72 billion This sum was equal to of all state tax collections collections collections for the year If all highway highway highway high high- way taxes collected by federal state and local governmental units are included the total would exceed 15 billion per year These funds are used mainly to plan construct and maintain the nations nation's highway system |