Look who’s not balking at tax hike — the public
A crocheting competition would have proved more action packed than the Salt Lake County Council's recent public hearing on raising property taxes.
No one -- aside from a smattering of staffers, county department heads and beat reporters -- showed up.
So without a word from the public, the council ratified an earlier vote to increase taxes by $5.5 million a year to cover debt payments on Zoo, Arts and Parks projects, municipal building bonds and golf courses. That's about $10 annually for the owner of a $250,000 home.
But even without a crowd, council members took several minutes apiece -- and sometimes more -- to defend their decision. Democrats favored the tax hike. Republicans opposed it.
Democratic Councilwoman Jenny Wilson called the Dems' vote a "profile of courage." Despite the potential for political consequences, she said, the new majority had shored up a county budget that couldn’t be cut much deeper.
Her colleague, Democratic Councilman Joe Hatch, proved more combative. Without any specific alternatives from the Mayor’s Office or council Republicans, he said, Democrats had to act.
Letting the possibility of a tax bump pass by, Hatch explained, without knowing where the next cuts might come from isn't "fiscally conservative, it is fiscally irresponsible."
But Republicans wouldn't budge. In fact, GOP Councilman Max Burdick defended his position by aligning with another county Democrat: Peter Corroon. The mayor has opposed higher taxes.
Time will tell whether Corroon, who isn't saying if he will veto the tax hike, will fall into Hatch's "fiscally irresponsible" category, too.
-- Jeremiah Stettler
No one -- aside from a smattering of staffers, county department heads and beat reporters -- showed up.
So without a word from the public, the council ratified an earlier vote to increase taxes by $5.5 million a year to cover debt payments on Zoo, Arts and Parks projects, municipal building bonds and golf courses. That's about $10 annually for the owner of a $250,000 home.
But even without a crowd, council members took several minutes apiece -- and sometimes more -- to defend their decision. Democrats favored the tax hike. Republicans opposed it.
Democratic Councilwoman Jenny Wilson called the Dems' vote a "profile of courage." Despite the potential for political consequences, she said, the new majority had shored up a county budget that couldn’t be cut much deeper.
Her colleague, Democratic Councilman Joe Hatch, proved more combative. Without any specific alternatives from the Mayor’s Office or council Republicans, he said, Democrats had to act.
Letting the possibility of a tax bump pass by, Hatch explained, without knowing where the next cuts might come from isn't "fiscally conservative, it is fiscally irresponsible."
But Republicans wouldn't budge. In fact, GOP Councilman Max Burdick defended his position by aligning with another county Democrat: Peter Corroon. The mayor has opposed higher taxes.
Time will tell whether Corroon, who isn't saying if he will veto the tax hike, will fall into Hatch's "fiscally irresponsible" category, too.
-- Jeremiah Stettler
5:10 PM
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