New Taxing Entity – More Property Taxes

By now, you should have received your Davis County Assessor’s Notice of Property Evaluation for 2005 and Taxing Entities Notice of Proposed Tax Changes and Public Hearings from Davis County Clerk/Auditor, Steve Rawlings. 

If you live in Bountiful, Centerville, North Salt Lake, West Bountiful or Woods Cross, take a few minutes to compare the taxing entities listed on this year’s notice with those on previous year's notices and you will find South Davis Recreation listed for the first time. 

This brings the total number of taxing entities to thirteen (13) or more depending on where you live and makes it extremely difficult for the average citizen to keep track of what each entity is up to. 

New Taxing Entity – Who Created It?

The mayors and city councils in the five cities listed above asked the County Commission to create a new taxing entity – the South Davis Recreation District.  The same County Commissioners,  McConkie, Page and Cragun, who were behind the proposed 138% county tax increase a few years ago, then approved the creation of the new taxing district.

New Taxes –  How Much Will I Pay?

Based on tax notices, the South Davis Recreation District tax appears to be approximately $53 per $180,000 valuation on a home.  This is 33% more than the $40 on that was promised in the official Voter Information Pamphlet.  Of course, if you are a business owner, the amount is significantly higher.

Who is Responsible for These New Taxes?

• The Board of the South Davis Recreation District established the budget and asked the County Commission to approve the tax levy.  In addition to money for bond payments, the Board voted to collect over $500,000 in new tax revenue this year to subsidize the operation and maintenance of a recreation center which does not exist and will not open its doors until the next tax year (fall 2006).

• The County Commission created the taxing district, scheduled and ran a special election costing almost $40,000 at a time when voter turnout would be suppressed and then approved the tax levy approved by the South Davis Recreation District Board.

• Mayors and City Councils supported the creation of the new taxing district, supported the special election, and some public officials may even have violated state election law in order to ensure passage of the proposed tax increases.

• The Davis County School District extended an RDA in order to use school district and county tax funds to build a gym that was not immediately needed rather than using the funds for their core function of educating children.

• Bountiful City Officials put millions of dollars of public money into the new recreation center.  Note:  These funds were in addition to revenues raised by the new taxing entity and could have been used to eliminate the 6% increase in electric rates that the city just imposed.  (Bountiful electricity is now slightly more expensive than power purchased from UP&L.)

• Citizens who voted to increase their neighbors’ taxes as well as citizens who opposed the increase but didn’t take the time to vote are equally responsible for these new taxes.

What Now?

1.  Let your friends and neighbors in the five cities that make up the South Davis Recreation District (Bountiful, Centerville, North Salt Lake, West Bountiful and Woods Cross) know what is going on with taxes and the new recreation center.  Either talk to them or forward them a copy of this Tax Alert.

2. Attend the public budget meeting on the South Davis Recreation District tax which will be held on December 12, 2005 at 6 pm at 790 South 100 East in Bountiful (Bountiful City Hall).  Note:  Taxes are 33% higher than advertised in the Voter Information Pamphlet.  You are paying over $500,000 to subsidize the operations of a center that doesn’t exist. 

3. Provide feedback to all three County Commissioners.  Note:  Commissioners  Page and McConkie voted for the creation of a totally new taxing entity and scheduled a costly special election at a time when voter turnout would be suppressed.   Commissioners Page, McConkie and Hansen approved the tax levy for over $500,000 to subsidize the operations and maintenance of a center that will not even open its doors in the current tax year. 

4. Let the Board of the South Davis Recreation District know that you hold them personally accountable for bringing the new recreation center in on budget and at a tax rate of $40 per $180,000 assessed valuation as promised in the official Voter Information Pamphlet. 

5. If you haven’t already done so, sign up for CitizenForTaxFairness.org alerts and updates. 

South Davis Recreation Board*

Mayor Joe Johnson, Bountiful, Chair  (801) 298-6146
Mayor Michael Deamer, Centerville  801-295-3477  mayor@centervilleut.com

Mayor Kay Briggs, North Salt Lake  801-936-3877   briggskw@ldschurch.org

Mayor Carl Martin, West Bountiful  801-292-4486

Mayor Jerry Larrabee, Woods Cross  (801) 292-4421  larrabeeappraisal@hotmail.com

Dannie McConkie, Davis County Commission (801) 451-3200 commissioners@daviscountyutah.gov

Steve Rawlings, Davis County Clerk/Auditor (801) 451-3324

Darrel Twede, Citizen Representative 

            *Contact information taken from City and County websites.