The appointment of a new commissioner to the Utah State Tax Commission is imminent.
Longtime Commissioner Michael Cragun, who has been on the panel since 2009, was replaced on Thursday by John Deeds, an attorney who focuses on state and local taxation, nominated by Governor Spencer Cox.
“John knows how to navigate complex tax issues and keep things grounded in common sense,” Cox said in a news release. “He brings the kind of practical expertise and steady leadership that will benefit both taxpayers and the commission.”
The administration and enforcement of Utah’s tax laws are supervised by the Utah State Tax Commission. It is now headed by veteran Commission Chair John Valentine and has four members. Deeds will join Commissioners Jennifer Fresques and Rebecca Rockwell if the Utah Senate confirms his nomination. The appointments of commissioners are for four-year terms.
Valentine informed Utah News Dispatch on Thursday that Cragun will be stepping down on June 30. Valentine remarked, “He’s just not ready to make any public announcements at this time,” in response to questions regarding Cragun’s leaving. Cragun held four four-year stints totaling 16 years on the commission. After his most recent tenure ended, he was not reappointed.
Valentine said his fellow tax commissioners are “very, very excited to have him come onto the commission and bring the expertise he can bring,” and he hailed Deeds as a “very capable tax attorney.”
Deeds is currently a partner with Crapo | Deeds PLLC, a law practice that handles a wide range of state and municipal tax concerns for both individuals and companies. According to an alumnus bio on the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics website, he has over 15 years of legal experience and has contributed to the development of tax legislation.
Additionally, Deeds worked as a law clerk in the Tax and Revenue section of the Utah Attorney General’s Office, where he represented the Utah State Tax Commission in matters pertaining to tax litigation and compliance.
“It’s an honor to be appointed, and I’m excited to serve the people of this great state,” Deeds said in a prepared statement. “I’m committed to upholding the tax laws in a fair and impartial manner.
Deeds graduated from Georgetown University Law Center with a Master of Laws in Taxation. In addition, he has two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Utah in political science and psychology, as well as a Juris Doctor from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law.
According to the governor’s office’s release on Thursday, Deeds, who is a member of the Utah State Bar Tax section, “frequently presents at national tax conferences and contributes to leading industry publications.”
Together with their five kids, Deeds and his wife, Jane Deeds, reside in Farmington.
His nomination is contingent to the Utah Senate’s confirmation. There is currently no set date for that vote.
