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TAX ALERT!
From The Utah Taxpayers Association
1578 West 1700 South #201, Salt Lake City, Utah 84104 PH 972-8814 FX 973-2324

Vote NO on Tuesday, May 6th!

April 30th, 2003

To: All Members in Tremonton

Re: Bond Election

Tremonton City is proposing a $1.55 million bond to finance a new library and a massive tax increase to pay for the bond. Election is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6th.

If approved, the bond will have the following annual impact on property taxes in Tremonton.

Annual Tax Increases if Library Bond is Approved
Property Type
$100,000 Valuation
$200,000 Valuation
Residence
$29.51
$59.02
Business
$53.70
$107.40
* Residences receive a 45% exemption under state law. Business properties receive no exemptions.

If the bond is approved, the city’s portion of the property tax will increase by 24% and is potentially the largest proposed tax increase in Utah this year.

The Utah Taxpayers Association urges voters to reject this proposed tax increase for the following reasons:

1. Tax increases are rarely appropriate, especially in a state with the 9th highest state and local tax burden, and are especially inappropriate during a recession when bankruptcies are at historic highs. Most local governments in Utah are forgoing tax increases due to the recession and the financial problems that families and businesses are facing.

2. Except for extraordinary circumstances, bond elections should not be held when voter turnout is guaranteed to be low, such as May in a non-election year. This election should have been held last November during the general election.

3. Compared to most Utah cities, Tremonton’s taxes are already high. If this tax is approved, Tremonton’s property tax rate will be 53% higher than the average small city or town in Utah and would be among the highest taxed cities in the state.

4. Libraries are important to a community, but the library expansion is not time-critical and should be postponed until the economy recovers.

Voter turnout will be low. Be sure to encourage taxpayer-friendly voters to make their opinions count on Tuesday, May 6th.



     *Please make copies of this Tax Alert and distribute them to
       residents of the Carbon School District.
The Utah Taxpayers Association is a non-profit, non-partisan association working for greater efficiency and economy in government.