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Show Proposed Tax Increase Tabled by Mary Burgin Pleasant Grove City officials of-ficials have been on a fast-moving fast-moving ride the last few weeks provided by the co-issues of proposed increased taxes for residents as well as new 'acili-ties 'acili-ties for emergency services for the city. After multiple public meetings, the issues will now go to a vote on the November 5,' 2013 ballot. In the August 7, 2013 meeting held in the fire station. sta-tion. City Administrator Scott Darrington explained that the city council and mayor had instructed in-structed staff to look into the cost of replacing the current facilities so that the new buildings build-ings would be fully usable through future build-out in approximately ap-proximately the next 50 years. He said that open houses had been held both at the exist ing facilities, as well as virtual ones online. ' He said that increase on those owning a home valued at $217,000, the rate would run about $12.15 per month. In subsequent meetings, however, this original plan was scrapped, and the council determined that they would pursue the General Obligation Bonds, as well as a lower cost per square foot for the proposed buildings. In explaining the concerns of the city leaders, he said the current fire station on 100 East had been built in 1949 and has been determined to not be seis-mically seis-mically sound in case of an earthquake. Fire department personnel have said there is now and will be in the future a greater need for sleeping facilities facili-ties as well as storage and bays "Taxes" continued on Page 7 "Taxes" continued from Page 1 for the fire trucks and equipment. equip-ment. The police facility, which is also on 100 East, was built in 1977. This facility, he said, needs more holding cells, office of-fice facilities, evidence storage, stor-age, a better location of the dispatch center and other varied var-ied needs. Darrington noted that it was suggested that a Municipal Munici-pal Building Authority Bond could be secured by a vote of the council. He said that with interest rates low at this time, as well as other reasons, it was determined de-termined this might be the best way to go to fund the proposed facilities. He also said that the city could, with the support of the electorate, secure General Obligation Ob-ligation Bonds for the projects. He said these would have to be approved through a vote of the citizens of Pleasant Grove. He also said these would have a lower rate of interest. The proposed facilities would be two separate buildings, build-ings, with a connecting basement. base-ment. The proposed site would be property just kitty-corner across 100 East from the fire station. The determined amount needed would be 19 million dollars. In subsequent meetings, that amount went down. For the next several hours, citizens did, in fact, express their support as well as their concerns with building the facilities fa-cilities at this time, as it would serve to raise their taxes. Many said that they felt the timing could be difficult for many residents resi-dents that were just getting on their feet. After several residents did express their opinions and concerns, the council said they wanted to reconsider perhaps some other solutions. Many said that they felt that the issue could be put to a vote and the citizens could make an educated educat-ed determination. ' After these meetings, City Finance Director Dean Lun-dell Lun-dell said that the rate of interest would, in fact, be lower with the Municipal Building Authority Bonds, with the per household tax rate on a $217,000 going down to approximately $8.04 per month. Lundell also noted that a definite location for the facilities has not yet been determined. He explained that it would save the city money to use property that it already owns. He added that it is really too early for them to know for sure what pieces the city might have to purchase. He said he would highly suggest that residents go to the city website at pgcity.org and become more familiar with the most current information concerning con-cerning the issues involved. |