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Show PIodd Editors Note: This ' is the first in a ' two-pa- rt series which looks at the implications of a newly mandated factoring program for property assessments in Utah and its affect on Davis County residents. By LUCINDA M. SCHUFT Staff Writer The statewide factoring program started at the first of this year may raise taxes in Davis County as much as 10 percent in 1981 and currently allows a 43 percent increase in property assessment values for the county. The program is termed the most revolutionary program ever implemented state wide for the equalizing of real property tax assessments by Davis County Assessor Thayne Corbridge. He said the thrust of the program implemented by the Utah State Tax Commission was to equalize county assessment levels in order to bring all counties to the same level for contributions in the State Uniform School Fund. The state collects a levy for the fund from all counties, and in the past has collected this according to whatever assessment level is , Miahf Me n 1 0 Percent Hike FARMINGTON , ll ; currently used in each county. to move the the said previous Corbridge assessment levels in the counties varied from 25 to 100 percent from the allowed assessment of 20 percent of property values statewide. He said as a result some counties were deriving benefits from the uniform school fund in an unequal proportion to what they were contributing, and the burden was born by counties with higher property assessment levels. Davis County residents currently are assessed on a 1975 property value level. Corbridge said the factoring program also brings all counties up to the 1978 property value levels the assessment of the , as well as increasing property by 43 percent. Just what does this mean for homeowners in Davis County? Last year a $40,000 home in Davis County was assigned an assessed value of $8,000. With the factoring program the same house will be assessed at $11,440 in 1981. The property tax mill levy in Davis County was 13.05 mills in 1980, and if the levy remains the same on the increased assessment value of property there could be a large increase in revenues for the county. The assessed valuations in Davis County . . , under the new program have gone from the 1980 level of $372 million to $500 million for 1981 with the implementation of the factoring program. Corbridge said the State Legislature is currently proposing legislation which would limit the amount taxing entities on all levels of government could gain from the program. Corbridge said he is sure the mill levy will be limited, but he is not sure at this time what the effect will be. As it now stands the county would have to roll the mill levy back to around 9 or 9.5 mills for 1981 in order to keep the increase within current limits required by the state on property reappraisals. He said there is some question about whether the factoring program falls under the same statute as the reappraisal program, and the attorney general has ruled that it does not at this time. Corbridge said that even with the mill levy limitations which may be installed by the legislature, Davis County residents will probably experience a 10 percent increase in property taxes in 1981. The factoring program equalizes all counties state at a 20 percent assessment level for property values. The chairman of the State Tax Commission, David Duncan, said the commissioners felt this was a good time to instigate the factoring program statewide. He said they took the action in December 1980 in order to allow the state legislature a chance to deal with the issue during its 1981 session. As the measure now stands, without any limitations on the mill levy, it could stimulate additional revenue in the state uniform school fund of around $25 million. in the Duncan said the factoring program was started because the current reappraisal program was not keeping all counties at the same assessment levels. He said the changes in assessment levels for the counties throughout the state ranged from a reduction in the assessment level of 1 percent to a 200 percent increase. He said the commission made the assessment level 5 percent below what is allowed by state statutes. He said the commission could have gone as high as 25 percent rather than sticking with the 20 percent assessment level. Some of the counties with the greatest in crease were upset at first he said, but they now seem to realize the importance of the program. He said the tax commissions concern now with the program will be to maintain the equal levels and have the counties involved in the process. The tax commission will work through a series of reappraisals to control the assessment levels. This, he said, will be handled through a sales ratio study conducted in each county and then related to the assessment levels. He explained that the factoring program y achieves equalization, and the process of reappraisal achieves equalization. Corbridge said some tax payers will benefit from the change. He said state properties locked in at certain assessment levels and green belt areas which are also limited as to what level theyre assessed at will be the main beneficiaries. inter-count- intra-count- y Those properties will not experience an assessment value increase and may gain additionally if mill levies are decreased. He said the burden will be shifted to residential and commercial property owners with the factoring program. Index Business Classified Economy 8A 9A -- 9B-11- B Heiew 9A 10A Editorial IlomeLhing Centerville. Clearfield, Clinton, East Loyton, Farmington, Fruit Heights. Vol. 1 Hill AFI. Koysville, Serving 3 1,500 Families From Roy Through Centerville No. 24 g on d Obituaries Sports Layton, Roy. South Weber, Sunset. Syracuse, West Point Thursday, February 115-21- 1 4B-15- B 915 . 5, 1981 on not solve the problem and the city would be responsible for its mainStaff Writer CENTERVILLE tenance. He said a drain would help Plans for construction of a post office in Centerville provide for the needs of future have been halted by problems and city development in the area also. If youre not going to put in a large the calls that requirements developer, can "i V w - enough drain to handle future use, qJ. worms, 4,aRon theres no use putting one in, he said, Spratling told the City Council Tuesday that he had been informed by Spratling said a drain may be needed for the entire area so suddenly I have city engineer Ron Rash that an $11,000 drain would be required for the post ' to pay for it because Im the first one to ' office property. Spratling said he found put something in. out about the requirement after plans Rash said the water would drain into had been approved. He said he also f the adjacent Cedar Springs subdivision FRUIT HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL members listen to almost two hours of discovered the sidewalk along one side on a private road. Does the city have debate Tuesday night as residents voiced their concerns about cable is eight feet on his side of the property provisions for handling legal action in the area. The council postponed action on an ordinance television : is but the drain the if indicated those people would take line, that hapa franchise to Wasatch Community Cable TV for two week so granting , primary problem. pens? he asked. to he has put $15,000 , Applegate said Spratling developed the property, $20,000 into the post office project located at 70 W. 100 N., as a two-lcommercial subdivision on which the already and Spratling said he does not have the money to put in the drain. restaurant office and Time Taco a post Rash said he was not certain which were to be located. the has way the surface water will drain when purchased Boyd Applegate the project is completed. If some of it post office property. He told the council drains the other way, the requirements work on the building has stopped until the issue of the drain can be resolved. may be different, he said. Councilman Kenneth Holman I cant see why Mr. Applegate or " Close to 50 gathered about options on other cable FRUIT HEIGHTS myself should pay to have that drain suggested a councilman meet with Rash, Spratling and City Administrator put in, Spratling said. people gathered Tuesday at the Fruit programming and also to see if Kenner Killpack at the site to get a Heights City Council meeting Hall to Wasatch Community Television could He said he would be willing to install better determination of the problem hear discussions on an ordinance to bring cable into the area without HBO a sump to take the surface water off the and how it might be solved. allow a cable TV franchise within the and Showtime options. Councilman Dale Ford agreed to city limits. A petition favoring cable TV was property and let it seep into the meet with the others and report back to The vote was postponed another two signed by 390 residents, and a petition ground the way it always has. the council. Rash told the council a sump would weeks until more information could be against cable was signed by 165 residents. Most council members said they were in favor of freedom of choice and also in favor of cable TV in the area but were against anything that would bring about moral decay to their community, a concern voiced at the last council meeting. The petition favoring cable was brought to the council by Russell Christen. He said a lot of people were By MARILYN L. KARRAS . s . ot In Fruit options can be studied. Seated from left to right are Councilmen Wayne R. Ballantyne, Jack D. Palmer, and Lynn II. Benson; Wasatch Community CATV manager Kim Magness and Mayor Neil K. Noorda, Heights Coble TV Group Large Argues - offended by the statement in the meeting last week and questioned them newspapers two weeks ago made by on their feelings on cable in their cities. Gene Raymond that cable was the He said he received no response on worst thing that could happen to the morality questions. moral standards of Fruit Heights. He said the only comments were He told the council that another about the installation, with some saying broadcast station was coming into the that it was not being put up fast enough. area that will be showing PG and Newly appointed councilman Jay movies and that it will only Fisher said he received more no then receiver on the yes calls at his house. He said many of require a micro-wav- e television to pick up the signal. the no calls were made by people who He said too that he talked to old were concerned about movies, people living in trailer courts who and not necessarily cable TV. wanted cable because they couldnt He then showed photos of nudes taken afford to see a lot of movies and by someone who was watching cable because they had a hard time getting and passed them around the room. out of their homes. T.J. Jones, who presented a petition Mayor Neil K. Noorda told the council that he was at a council of mayors of the council with 165 signatures against cable, talked about violence and sex in the country. He said, Dig up a Roman and ask him what happened to his country when violence and sex were allowed as they were. He said he doesnt want censorship. He wants to avoid moral decay. He said the walls of Jericho went down because a united chorus forced it down. He said that was a united cause. Court Wednesday morning that Farr had turned himself in to the Weber County officials when he learned of the warrant out for his arrest. Hughes argued that the bail for Farr should be reduced because of his past record and the fact he had turned himself in. He told the court that if this had been in Weber County Farr would have been released on his own Roy High School and citizens who follow Royal athletics lost a close and recognizance. Jensen ruled to set bail at $5,000 in dear friend last Thursday. Roys number one booster, Doug cash or property but would not consider Shaw, died of muscular dystrophy at on Farr his own releasing the age of 18 and all those who parrecognizance. ticipated in Royal athletics will miss was 25 set Feb. Preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. in the 4th Circuit Court in him. Stricken with the disease at birth, Clearfield. Shaw was never able to walk and came According to Chief Martin, there are to Roy because of the handicapped three witnesses in the case. facilities at the high school. It was there Farr was being held at the Davis that Shaw began his faithful support for County Jail while awaiting trial. the Royals. Another meeting was planned to Staff writer Bliss Fullmer tells how determine whether he would be much Doug Shaw meant to Roy High in released on bail. an article on page 5B. OgdenAlan Arraigned On Abuse Charges A man charged CLEARFIELD with forcible sexual abuse in connection with a sexual assault on a girl Sunday at an LDS Chapel was arraigned Wednesday on the charge in 4th Circuit court in Clearfield. Scott Farr, 26, 4829 Knollwood Drive, Ogden, is charged with a third degree felony in connection with the incident which occurred Sunday while church MAKING SURE they hang the Valentines just right are Chad Harris, 9, and Christine Smith, 8. Both are students in Coleen Simmons (in the background) third grade class at Lincoln Elementary School in Layton. The third and fourth graders made Valentines which will be on display at the Layton Hills Mall during the next two weeks. members were meeting at the Syracuse LDS chapel located at 1620 S. 1100 W. According to Syracuse Police Chief Henry Martin, a warrant was issued Tuesday for Farrs arrest in connection with the case. Chief Martin said the incident occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m. Sunday while the church members were meeting. He said the girl was playing alone in an empty hall adjoining the chapel when she was taken to an empty room near the chapel and sexually assaulted. Farrs attorney, Don Hughes, told Judge Cornell Jensen of the 4th Circuit Reviewing The News |