Show How We Can Control Government Spending Control of Special Districts Districts Dis Dis- and their power to DiS 1 tax to spend to incur debt and to regulate our lives is one sure way to control government government government govern govern- ment spending and taxes according to Jack A. A Olson Executive Secretary of the Utah Taxpayers Association Special Districts include cemetery mosquito abatement fire library sanitary improvement improvement improvement improve improve- ment service areas and water districts UTAH NOW has 31 more units of government than in 1960 Special Districts account for all of this increase In that year only 16 6 counties had special districts Now 24 have I them Salt Lake County leads with 22 Weber has 14 Box BoxElder BoxElder BoxElder Elder n U 1 Davis 10 Utah 9 The Wasatch Wc Front counties account for 63 per cent of all the states state's special districts In certain localities of Salt Lake City and Ogden there are now nine different overlapping overlapping overlapping over over- lapping taxing jurisdictions heaped on top of one another The property tax bill forthe forthe for forthe the support of special districts in 1960 was according according according ac ac- ac- ac I cording to the taxpayer or or- In 1967 it was This amounts to a 47 per cent increase in just seven years TAXPAYERS must question question question ques ques- tion themselves before they vote for new districts Is the service necessary Can it be more efficiently and economically economically economically eco eco- provided by an existing unit of government like a city county or by another existing special district district district dis dis- dis- dis W Will ll it be responsive to the wishes of those served served served ed Will it erode the revenue base of existing necessary government like schools and md county There is just so much money to go around The more it is divided the less there is for each The taxpayer Watchdog association suggests that existing existing existing ex ex- districts might be improved improved im improved im- im proved by consolidation Salt Lake County has two water districts three mosquito districts districts districts dis dis- disI dis- I and five sanitary dis dis- dis- dis ACCOUNTABILITY must be emphasized Municipalities counties and school districts I must file audits with the State Auditors Auditor's office Why not special districts Efficiency must be emphasized Special districts have rarely been subject to searching budget and audit review to pool purchasing pur purchasing purchasing pur pur- chasing with other units or orto orto orto to cooperative agreements to share equipment Why There is only one sure way to control taxes That is to insist that ALL units of government government government gov gov- be operated efficiently and economically with a minimum minimum minimum mini mini- mum of duplications and over over- lapping Special districts are areno areno areno no exception The immediate need is to bett better r control their spread to simplify their consolidation consolidation consolidation con con- and nj to improve their reporting procedures |