Utah Governor Proposes Social Security Tax Repeal in Budget Plan

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) asked lawmakers on Thursday to eliminate the state tax on Social Security benefits and expand the child tax credit as part of his proposed $30.6 billion fiscal 2026 budget.

Cox called repealing the Social Security tax a “cornerstone” of his plan, estimating it would provide relief to over 150,000 seniors and align Utah with more than 40 states that already exempt these benefits or have no state income tax at all. The governor’s proposal would cost the state $143.8 million in revenue annually, according to a budget brief.

He also proposed a $2.1 million ...