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No Comments [ Add Comment ]Commissioners ask for your feedback on question of raising sales tax
By Alan Hansen, Louenda Downs and Bret MillburnDavis Cou
nty residents have recently read about a request from the Utah Transit Authority for the Davis County commissioners to increase sales tax by .05 percent. UTA has advised the elected officials of our county that without this increase, some services provided to our cities will be cut or significantly scaled back. This request, which did not come to us until mid-September, has created some concerns for those of us serving as your county commissioners, and it is important to understand this situation.
In February 2007, the state Legislature reduced the sales tax on food by half. UTA receives a portion of its revenue from this portion of the sales tax, but as a result of the cut its revenue would be reduced.
At the same time the Legislature reduced the sales tax on food, it authorized local governments to impose a transit tax of .05 percent to cover the losses to UTA. Several counties have chosen to impose this tax; Davis and Weber have not. Davis County has a unique history when it comes to transit. In 2000, when a quarter-cent sales tax increase for transit was placed on the ballot in Davis, Weber and Salt Lake counties, Davis residents approved that initiative by the largest margin of the three counties. Also, the Davis County Council of Governments has listed transit as a top priority for transportation services to our residents.
In contrast, this past November, Davis County residents had the opportunity to vote for another quarter-cent sales tax for transportation, a portion of which could have been used for transit, and soundly rejected it.
So here we are today. UTA is telling us that we must increase our sales tax to maintain our services, and the citizens are telling us not to raise taxes.
We commissioners are not blind to the need for maintaining and expanding transit service. Nor are we blind to the frustration expressed by our citizens about increasing tax burdens.
At this time, we have taken no action regarding UTA's request for additional sales tax revenue. We have more questions to ask about UTA budgets, service impacts and other issues to consider.
As we continue to deliberate the issues of transportation and taxes, we welcome your comments.
Hansen, Downs and Millburn serve on the Davis County Commission.
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