U-talk: How do you feel about recently discussed or approved tax increases?

By Staff | Aug 15, 2022

: Judd Sampson

: Tyson Williams

: Yvette Torres

: Jonathan Percifield

: Jim Flolid

Adam Rubin, Special to the Standard-Examiner

Judd Sampson

“Well, we call them tax increases but they are really basically special service assessments for fire, reservoir, school districts. And a lot of these school district assessments and things were special bonds that had their own elections that we voted for anyway. Things cost more, fuel costs more, so it is natural for the public services that we all use to go up. I mean, it costs more fuel to take the firetruck to someone’s location. So, I understand them. I understand that people do not like them, because nobody likes to pay more money and they do not see something coming back to them today. But we are all safer because we have better funded public service, better funded infrastructure and more resources that we can take care of each other and grow our populations responsibly.” — Judd Sampson, West Haven

“As long as the tax increases are adding to making a more beneficial (community) — not just adding, just not increasing revenue — if they can show that this increase is appropriately justified, then I can see why cities would want to increase taxes right now because we are in inflation. So, that means if the city is barely affording … the current services and products that they have to get and provide for, now because of inflation they probably do not have enough money; they have less purchasing power to provide those services that they have promised the people. Inflation affects everybody — businesses, households, community members and cities. So, let us say that a city, part of the taxes are going to covering the city’s water infrastructure. Well, because of inflation, to buy the parts and pay the people for services you have to pay the people more because we are in inflation. … So, likely for the city to keep up the same amount of purchasing power is lower, just like all of our purchasing power is lower because of inflation. If the cities are barely making it with the finances that they currently have, they either have to cut out services or raise revenues. It is like, do they cut out the services or are we willing to pay more. I mean, you only have two options, right? It is like, what do the people want? It makes sense to me.” — Tyson Williams, Ogden

“I do not agree with it. Because as homeowners and people in our community, we have to live within a budget and it seems like just for years and years and years they always increase saying they need money in this area and it never goes there. So, therefore, it is not justifiable. I do not see how much they are raising the taxes, 26% property taxes and some (cities) are even more, and that is horrible for the people who are living on a limited income, like, you know, some of these older people who are retired. I mean, this could mean that they could lose their houses, because they cannot pay $800 to $1,000 more a year for property taxes. And I don’t see that they use money wisely. They always seem to abuse it. You see it over and over, even though they promise that, ‘This time we’re going to do it,’ and it never ends up to the right places. It is like 80% to 90% of the money gets lost somewhere else.” — Yvette Torres, Roy

“I do not have a strong opinion one way or the other, just because I do not have a lot of property or anything like that, you know … I rent. My rent might go up a little bit. I look at it like, you have to do what you have to do. … I guess I just feel like … inflation affects everybody equally. I don’t really know how the budgets are allocated. Who is the person that keeps them accountable to make sure that all these resources are getting to the places where they are supposed to go? If I was to get more involved, and stuff like that, I guess that is where I would start, you know, sort of questioning that first. Because we are already giving you this much, what are you doing with it? It is just like how I approach my own budget. I am getting this much and what am I doing with it?” — Jonathan Percifield, Ogden

“I do not really worry about it too much actually. It is part of being in a country that is free; they go up, the come down. I do not really worry about it too much. It is what it is. I have enough money in my bank account to cover my taxes. I do not object. I do not pay taxes on my income because I am a disabled veteran. If the money is used right, I do not have a problem with it. … On a fixed income, after house payments and car payments, you know, you end up with about $500 at the end of the month to use for myself. You know, that is life.” — Jim Flolid, Ogden