House approves nonbinding statewide sales-tax question for arts, parks and zoos

The Utah House on Feb. 28 voted to send a nonbinding tax question to voters that would ask whether a 0.15 percentage-point statewide sales-and-use tax should be used for zoos, arts and parks. Representative Dan Hughes, sponsor of HJR 13, said the measure is intended to collect public sentiment to inform future legislative action.

"This bill asks an important question of the people," Hughes said on the floor, describing the measure as informational rather than binding. He argued cultural resources strengthen the state's ability to recruit businesses and urged colleagues to support advisory input from the electorate.

Debate split along familiar lines over urban and rural interests. Representative Kurt Webb warned that the Wasatch Front likely would support the measure and that a statewide advisory vote could pressure lawmakers to impose a tax statewide even if rural communities opposed it. Representative Kate Arendt countered that the nonbinding format is an appropriate use of the option lawmakers created to gauge voter sentiment.

The House approved HJR 13 by a 38–32 vote. The resolution is nonbinding; if adopted by voters it would provide information for future legislative sessions but would not itself change tax law. The measure will be transmitted to the Senate for consideration.

Supporters said the resolution gives the Legislature a clearer sense of public priorities across districts. Opponents cautioned that advisory ballots can create political pressure to act and that statewide results could mask sharply different local preferences.

The House moved on to other business after the vote; no funding or statutory changes were enacted by HJR 13 itself.