Riverdale Road funding at issue
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1 comment [ View ]By KATIE M. ELLIS
Standard-Examiner correspondent
RIVERDALE -- Riverdale leaders say they are contributing major sales tax dollars to agencies throughout the state and it's unfair they have to lobby for the money needed to finish Riverdale Road construction.
"The eleventh hour lobbying we face is extremely frustrating to us. It's absurd and irrational we're faced with this in light of money moving to the south," City Administrator Larry Hansen said.
Hansen says Riverdale has a reputation for being rich because it has the most sales tax dollars per capita but not for being the city that is contributing the most sales tax per capita to other agencies.
Hansen said of the sales tax generated in Riverdale this year, about $35 million will go the state, almost $2 million to the county's general fund, another $2 million to county transportation, $3 million will be redistributed to other cities, almost $4 million will be sent to UTA and $762,000 will be given to RAMP.
He said of the $4 million the city keeps, 75 percent goes to public safety costs for the 47,000 commuters and shoppers in the city each day.
Hansen hopes to use these figures as leverage for additional services from these agencies, but especially to convince legislators Riverdale deserves the additional $66 million needed to finish Riverdale Road widening from 1900 West to Washington Boulevard and the $3 million needed this summer to begin right-of-way acquisitions.
"On an annual basis we turn back $35 million to the state and have been doing it for some time. We're asking for $66 million back ... We give almost $4 million to UTA each year. How many bus shelters do you see in Riverdale? It's a shame," Hansen said.
The city council passed a resolution Tuesday night declaring Riverdale's treatment unfair compared to other areas of the state. Mayor Bruce Burrows said the resolution refers to funds for Riverdale Road moving to a project in Utah County.
State Rep. Brad Dee, R-Washington Terrace, told the Standard-Examiner he is very confident the $3 million can be funded this summer and the entire $66 million appropriated soon.
"I'm not sure we can say it's unfair. The largest transportation project in the state in the last several years has been I-15 North," Dee said. "We have not been shortchanged. Northern Utah is getting our fair share, but it doesn't negate the fact we need Riverdale Road. Riverdale Road is an important road and we're going to get it done."
this sounds like a no brainer.
Riverdale collects the sales tax, riverdale should keep the sales tax.
It is pretty simple.
Mayor Burrows,
I would be asking for a receipt from the state and accounting of what Riverdale is getting in return for that 35,000,000.00
That is a lot of money, I hope Mr Dee is not saying it is fair because he lives in the Terrace is benefiting from Riverdale giving up that chunk of money.