Showing posts with label unified police. Show all posts
Showing posts with label unified police. Show all posts
Monday, October 4, 2010
Fox 13: Kearns residents surprised, angered over police fees
KEARNS - A new bill for the increase in police fees is expected to arrive for property owners in unincorporated areas. A crowd of angry residents had the opportunity to ask council members and sheriff questions in the last of three open houses Thursday night. Despite extensive news coverage and packed public comment hearings, many were caught off guard by a flyer in the mail announcing the additional fee.
"I'm fine with paying taxes for it but i'm not fine paying an additional fee and an additional tax that is disproportionate to some citizens of Salt Lake County, relative to others," Gregory Von Ax said.
Salt Lake County lost 30 percent in sales revenue in the recession and a $13 million dollar hole was left even after all the budget cuts. "We've crunched that budget down to the bare bones and now we're at a place where we have to provide law enforcement to our community and we have to pay for it," Jim Bradley from the Salt Lake County Council said.
The police fee bills will arrive March 1. The cities within the county will not get the bill because residents pay the fee with a tax on utilities. The legislature is considering a bill that will allow the county to do the same thing.
Taxpayers threaten lawsuit against Salt Lake County for police fee
The Utah Taxpayers Association is threatening to sue to stop Salt Lake County from collecting a police fee that thousands of homes and businesses in the unincorporated area paid this month for the first time.
“If the only way to get this problem solved turns out to be litigation,” association spokesman Royce Van Tassell said Tuesday, “so be it.”
Talk of a lawsuit emerged this week in a monthly newsletter, in which the business-backed group challenged the county’s new fee as illegal and unfair.
“It appears to me that the taxpayers association is looking for an issue to justify its existence,” said County Councilman Jim Bradley, a member of the county law-enforcement district board that levied the fee. “It they are so disposed [to sue], let them do it.”
With the recession taking a toll on tax revenues, the county decided late last year to charge homes, businesses and even churches and charitable institutions varying fees for law enforcement.
Homeowners would pay an extra $174 a year, while businesses would pay more — depending on the demand their type of operation places on police services.
But the taxpayers association says the county never mentioned the possibility of new fees when it formed the law-enforcement district last year. Neither, the group says, did a resolution that bestowed taxing authority on the district.
The association also alleges the county imposed the fee unfairly, sometimes sending multiple bills to a single property because it served as the registered address for several businesses. (In one case, the county charged businesses that weren’t located in the unincorporated area.)
Bradley countered that the police fee isn’t unprecedented or illegal. Other special districts already impose fees for water, sewer and garbage collection.
As for fairness?
“There are certain individual circumstances that the police district is willing to look at to make sure that everybody is being treated fairly,” said County Mayor Peter Corroon, also a member of the law-enforcement district board. But, overall, the police fee is a “very fair system.”
The taxpayers association still may skip suing. But, if it does, the group vows to push for legislative changes to “eliminate this fee.”
“If the only way to get this problem solved turns out to be litigation,” association spokesman Royce Van Tassell said Tuesday, “so be it.”
Talk of a lawsuit emerged this week in a monthly newsletter, in which the business-backed group challenged the county’s new fee as illegal and unfair.
“It appears to me that the taxpayers association is looking for an issue to justify its existence,” said County Councilman Jim Bradley, a member of the county law-enforcement district board that levied the fee. “It they are so disposed [to sue], let them do it.”
With the recession taking a toll on tax revenues, the county decided late last year to charge homes, businesses and even churches and charitable institutions varying fees for law enforcement.
Homeowners would pay an extra $174 a year, while businesses would pay more — depending on the demand their type of operation places on police services.
But the taxpayers association says the county never mentioned the possibility of new fees when it formed the law-enforcement district last year. Neither, the group says, did a resolution that bestowed taxing authority on the district.
The association also alleges the county imposed the fee unfairly, sometimes sending multiple bills to a single property because it served as the registered address for several businesses. (In one case, the county charged businesses that weren’t located in the unincorporated area.)
Bradley countered that the police fee isn’t unprecedented or illegal. Other special districts already impose fees for water, sewer and garbage collection.
As for fairness?
“There are certain individual circumstances that the police district is willing to look at to make sure that everybody is being treated fairly,” said County Mayor Peter Corroon, also a member of the law-enforcement district board. But, overall, the police fee is a “very fair system.”
The taxpayers association still may skip suing. But, if it does, the group vows to push for legislative changes to “eliminate this fee.”
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Thousands not paying bill for Unified Police service (Thank you Salt Lake County Democrats!)
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Is there a revolt brewing in unincorporated Salt Lake County? The County reports 12,900 people have not paid their 2nd bill for the police service. Many of those also did not pay the first bill earlier this year.
The county estimates the total amount delinquent: $1.7 million.
The controversial fee was instituted to cover an estimated $13-million budget shortfall for the new, Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake. Residents pay a flat fee three times a year, but business owners pay a varied rate based on type of business.
The official explanation for the delinquencies from Salt Lake County officials: People just do not understand the new fee. Another possible explanation: The bad economy. Those same officials discount the idea of a protest.
While Howard Stephenson of the Utah Taxpayers Association has not heard of an organized tax protest, he said anger over the fee is understandable. While not opposed to all fees, Stephenson said the association has opposed the police fee from the beginning. "Water and sewer? That's fine. Garbage? That's fine. If I use three dumpsters, then charge me for them. But Police protection? That's a common good that ought to be billed uniformly through the property tax and the sales tax, not through a user fee," said Stephenson.
The Utah Taxpayer Association is asking for donations to fund a legal challenge to the county's police fee. Stephenson said, "We would be alleging that the county does not have the authority to impose -- under the constitution -- this type of user fee."
In the meantime, the county is hoping to reduce the number of delinquencies. While the late fee on payments was waved the first time, it will not be waved this time. Homeowners have until the end of August to pay up before a 10% penalty is imposed.
If that doesn't work, the county could also yank the business licenses of non-paying companies or place a lien on the homes of residents who refuse to pay.
The county estimates the total amount delinquent: $1.7 million.
The controversial fee was instituted to cover an estimated $13-million budget shortfall for the new, Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake. Residents pay a flat fee three times a year, but business owners pay a varied rate based on type of business.
The official explanation for the delinquencies from Salt Lake County officials: People just do not understand the new fee. Another possible explanation: The bad economy. Those same officials discount the idea of a protest.
While Howard Stephenson of the Utah Taxpayers Association has not heard of an organized tax protest, he said anger over the fee is understandable. While not opposed to all fees, Stephenson said the association has opposed the police fee from the beginning. "Water and sewer? That's fine. Garbage? That's fine. If I use three dumpsters, then charge me for them. But Police protection? That's a common good that ought to be billed uniformly through the property tax and the sales tax, not through a user fee," said Stephenson.
The Utah Taxpayer Association is asking for donations to fund a legal challenge to the county's police fee. Stephenson said, "We would be alleging that the county does not have the authority to impose -- under the constitution -- this type of user fee."
In the meantime, the county is hoping to reduce the number of delinquencies. While the late fee on payments was waved the first time, it will not be waved this time. Homeowners have until the end of August to pay up before a 10% penalty is imposed.
If that doesn't work, the county could also yank the business licenses of non-paying companies or place a lien on the homes of residents who refuse to pay.
Tom Barberi Rants Against Unified Police Tax.
Barberi Rages In 'A Return To Reason' | Salt TV Network
Click the link to view Barberi's rant.
It looks like the rage towards Salt Lake County for the Unified Police Tax has even frustrated legendary liberal members of our community. The tax that apparently Thousands not paying bill for Unified Police service because of the ridiculous burden it poses.
But of course our dear Salt Lake City Council and Mayor Peter Corroon reject the discourse that this really is a "tax" at all by insisting that it is called a "service fee."
Tom Barberi, thank you for feeling our pain.
Click the link to view Barberi's rant.
It looks like the rage towards Salt Lake County for the Unified Police Tax has even frustrated legendary liberal members of our community. The tax that apparently Thousands not paying bill for Unified Police service because of the ridiculous burden it poses.
But of course our dear Salt Lake City Council and Mayor Peter Corroon reject the discourse that this really is a "tax" at all by insisting that it is called a "service fee."
Tom Barberi, thank you for feeling our pain.
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