Raw: [By 2036, more than one out of every four dollars raised in total government revenue will go to pay interest on the debt.]
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Home • Op-eds • This Tax Season, Ask Where Your Money Is Going
This Tax Season, Ask Where Your Money Is GoingMarch 25, 2026March 26, 2026By: Daniel Bunn
It’s a common question that Utahns direct to their governments at all levels — especially during taxA tax is a mandatory payment or charge collected by local, state, and national governments from individuals or businesses to cover the costs of general government services, goods, and activities. filing season. Where do our tax dollars go?
At the federal level, they fund our federal defense and programs like Social Security and Medicare. But increasingly, our tax dollars are being used just to pay the interest on our growing national debt.
If our budget challenge isn’t a problem our leaders are willing to address, little else should be made of our other fiscal successes.
This is a preview of our full op-ed originally published in Deseret News.
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About the Author
ExpertDaniel BunnPresident and CEO
Daniel Bunn is President and CEO of the Tax Foundation. Daniel has been with the organization since 2018 and, prior to becoming President, successfully built its Center for Global Tax Policy, expanding the Tax Foundation’s reach and impact around the world. Prior to joining the Tax Foundation, Daniel worked in the United States Senate at the Joint Economic Committee.
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TagsTags:Congressional Budget Office (CBO)Debt and Interest RatesMedicareOne Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)Social Security
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ExpertDaniel BunnPresident and CEO
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