Show Utah Taxes Absorb fa of Family Income e s Nearly a third of the personal income received by individuals in Utah went for taxes in 1960 according to a year end review of governmental activities prepared prepared prepared pre pre- pared by Utah Foundations the private governmental research organization The Foundation study shows that paid a total of million in Federal state and local local lo local lo- lo cal taxes during the 1960 fiscal year Total taxes paid by amounted to million in 1950 and 51 million in 1940 Taxes in 1960 were equal to nearly for every man woman woman woman wom wom- an and child residing in the state Thus for an average family family family fam fam- ily of four persons the tax burden burden burden bur bur- den amounted to nearly 2400 in 1960 Although income levels in Utah have nearly doubled since 1950 the Foundation observes that taxes are arc taking an in increased increased increased in- in creased proportion of the higher incomes In 1960 approximately per cent of the total personal personal personal per per- income of individuals in Utah went for taxes both direct di direct direct di- di and md hidden By contrast the relative tax burden was per cent in 1950 per cent in 1940 and per cent in 1930 Foundation analysts point out that government not only takes the largest share of the personal expenditure dollar but conversely converse converse- ly is also the largest single supplier supplier supplier sup sup- of personal income in Utah More lore persons in Utah are employed employed employed em em- by government Federal state and local than by any other other other oth oth- er segment of the states state's econ econ- omy In June 1960 there were persons working for some som governmental unit In Utah This Thi is equal to 23 per cent of the total nonagricultural work force of or in the state In addition addition addition addi addi- tion there are many others who are employed by private concerns concerns concerns con con- cerns which deal primarily in governmental contract work The study shows that Federal taxes accounted for million or 63 per cent of the 1960 tax load in Utah while state and lo local local local lo- lo cal taxes were equal to millIon million mil mU- lion or 37 per cent of the total This is almost a direct reversal of the situation that prevailed in 1940 when 69 per cent of the total tax burden resulted from state and local taxes and only 31 per cent for federal taxes According to the Foundation study most of this shift in emphasis emphasis emphasis em em- em- em to the federal government occurred during the war years o othe of f the when federal taxes and expenditures expanded greatly Within n recent years however the rate of growth in and lo local local local lo- lo cal taxes has been greater than that of the federal government Since 1955 state and local taxes in Utah have increased 66 pe percent per percent r cent compared with a 45 pe percent per percent r cent rise in the federal tax bur bur- den As expected education is the number one expenditure item fo forstate for forstate r state and local government i in n Utah The Foundation reports that Utah spent 1311 million for education local schools colleges colleges colleges col col- col- col leges and other in fiscal 1960 This represents an increase o of f million or 10 per cent during during during dur dur- ing the year Educational expenditures expenditures expenditures in Utah have trebled i in n the past decade and have multiplied multiplied multiplied mul mul- more than eight and a half haIr times within the past twenty years Part of the rise is accounted account account- ed for by enrollment Increases and reduced purchasing power power of the dollar I The Foundation reports that highway spending declined somewhat somewhat some some- some some-I what in 1960 as a result of the i I 1959 cutback of the scheduled Federal highway aid program i Despite this fact highway ex expenditures expenditures expenditures ex- ex in Utah during 1960 still were nearly two and a n half halftimes halftimes halftimes times above the 1955 level and andi I nearly e four u times i e t that for r 1950 5 i |