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‘You need a state to be willing to take that plunge’ — report says Utah could lead the way on sales tax modernization

A D.C. think tank is urging Utah lawmakers to blaze a trail for other states by updating sales tax structures that are rooted in Depression-era consumer spending patterns.

A number of states have taken stabs at modernizing their sales tax systems, but the most comprehensive attempts have been stymied by political challenges inherent in such a large undertaking, the Tax Foundation’s Jared Walczak said.

“Often you need a first mover on something like this. You need a state to be willing to take that plunge,” said Walczak, a senior policy analyst with the foundation. “Utah seems uniquely positioned to take that next step.