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Show 1.1 1 Ells BoiSG Davis County Commissioners passed a (10.7 million dollar budget Thursday l morning and okayed a resolution which J raise the salary of county commis-JL commis-JL I iitners and elected county officials. L P THE TOTAL budget, which includes a J j 173 million general fund budget, in addi-f. addi-f. lion to other operating budgets for flood control, library and construction of a new county jail and courthouse, was reviewed iy Davis County officials at a public 1 neanng on Tuesday. J : Commissioner Glen Flint said the 1978 " ! budget will reflect about a 14 percent overall increase over last year's budget and will result in higher property tax of (17 mills. Commissioners had estimated the increase at about 5 mills, but said the budget had been trimmed further since hen. IN APPROVING the budget, the commission com-mission okayed an increase in the mill levy from 11.83 mills in 1977 to 16 mills in I,' 1978. This will include a general fund levy )j increase of .67 mills, with 1.50mills levied ( V we courthouse addition and 2.00 for addition to the jail. "he levy for the library will remain at Sand flood control at 100, the same ijres as were set last year. Commissioners had earlier pointed M that the 3.5 mill levy increase exposed for the courthouse and the jail jld be in effect for two years only, at oich time the mills would no longer be r.,ed since the buildings would be paid COUNTY CLERK Rodney Walker said ' budget included a 7 percent cost of ving increase for county employees. Alio Al-io included in the budget was a raise in Varies for countv commissioners from $16,200 to $20,000 and an increase for county officials. A separate ordinance was required to raise the salaries of the county commissioners commis-sioners and elected officials and, based on the approval of the commissioners, will go into effect on Jan. 1. The three county commissioner's salaries will increase from $16,200 annually to $20,000. OTHER SALARY increases include the county attorney and county surveyor whose salaries will increase from $19,200 to $20,544. Other elected officials to receive raises are the county clerk, county assessor, county auditor and justice of the precinct court whose salaries will increase from $15,900 to $19,000. The county sheriff's salary will be raised from $17,500 to $19,000. The increase for construction of the courthouse and jail shows that property tax revenue to be raised this year for the jail through the additional two mill levy will bring in $563,540 this year with the equivalent amount in 1979. Commissioners Commis-sioners estimate that a two year levy will pay for the jail and the courthouse. THE lft MILL levied for the courthouse addition, when added to the $400,000 which was budgeted from revenue sharing shar-ing funds last year will raise $639, 161 for courthouse construction this year. During the Tuesday hearing Mr. Walker pointed out that four new departments depart-ments had been added to the budget this year, including an increase of $64,539 for computer services and a programer. He pointed out that an additional department is an ambu ince service to the north end of the county, which though budgeted at PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 2 CCWfTtttUED FROM "WNT ' $76,965 should become self-sustaining. Other additions to departments are Homemaker Services, provided through the Council on Aging, but which is federally funded at $15,300, and forest fire protections. All of the new departments resulted in an additional $171,304 to provide the programs. ONE OF the larger expenses added this year was an increase of $115,000 for election elec-tion services necessary since 25 new districts dis-tricts will be created his year and mus be supplied with voting booths and voting machines as well as additional personnel. In almost all other cases, Mr. Walker said, that increases in department budgets were the result of the seven percent salary increase for salaries and employee benefits. After the hour long budget presentation, presenta-tion, comments from the audience indicated in-dicated general opposition to the Increase in property taxes with citizens protesting against funding paramedics, salary increases for county employees and the construction of the courthouse and jail. DURING THE hearing Jack Olsen, executive secretary for the Utah State Taxpayers Association, urged the commission com-mission to "go back and take a look at the budget, keeping the taxpayers in mind." He said that in two years average property taxes in Davis county had increased $85 He pointed out that the ad-additional ad-additional mill levy this year would cost the average home owner $33 on a $40,000 home. Although Mr. Olsen claimed that county residents would have to pay a 27 percent increase in property taxes this year. Robert Goldsberry, independent auditor for the county, said, after the meeting, the across-the-board increase would instead be about 15 percent. He explained that Mr. Olsen had erroneously added ini $400,000 which the county commissioners had budgeted last year, but not spent waiting to begin construction on the addition ad-dition to the county courthouse. The statistical sta-tistical error had resulted when Mr. Olsen had added the figure to this year's budget, Mr. Goldsberry said. OTHER members of the audience applauded Mr. Olsen's contention that property taxes had increased too sharply. Grant Secrist, West Bountiful Mayor-elect, Mayor-elect, said the commission was obligated to find ways to economize by "doing without." Many of the speakers alluded to the fact that the bulk of the audience was made up of senior citizens who said that tax increases were hurting those on fixed income. Commissioner Glen Flint pointed out that, although the general fund mill levy, had been raised to 8.60 mills that the county could increase it to 16 mills. He 1 said in recent years the county hart , raised the mill levy once. Ci ",y year when the mill levy was incresv' 2 mills to finance a county S b water project. storw ANOTHER point of contention M ,v funding of the paramedic program vw. Sheriff William J. Lawrence a I !? cost the county a total of $162,000 0 mill. Commissioners had earlier ed the cost at l4 mills. erestll Max Hall, city councilman from yM f Bountiful protested that the con,?1 couldn't afford the paramedic pro, ' wh,ie Lily May Strayer, Layton, ho d she was alive because of the paramo program. She asked, "How much ban!' worth' Most people at the heari . including Sheriff Lawrence and k county commissioners appeared to h the decision to place the param.!! proposal on the ballot Nov. 197J progrim is anticipated to be full implt mented in both ends o' the coubk, I' . July 1. lytl' COMMISSIONER Flint said a spec,,,' election now to determine how ih, populace felt atxv t the program would J cost the county uver $50,000 and Z decision had been made to use tha mocev 1 instead to provide the paramedic service to the south end of the county prior t0 tf. election. After Brice Hallows, Bountiful, pleaded for the relief for the people who are caught in the middle of the tax crunch and asked that the sheriff's departments bud. get be placed on the ballot, there was u exchange between Sheriff Lawrence County Commissioner Flint and Mr Walker. They disagreed on funding measures for the construction ol the ji,;. as opposed to the court house addition and argued as to whether approval for at capitol improvements, as well as the paramedic proposal, should be placed m the ballot. COMMISSIONER Flint's argument y ' that neither the courthouse or jail co struction need to be placed on the bal oi since they were capitol improvemenu funded only for a two year period while, . the cost of paramedics "could to oi forever." Commissioner Wendell hm'" also supported th construction ol the jul i M asking whethei the audience would-approve would-approve turning those arrested "back on the public" since there was no room for them in the overcrowded jail. Commissioner Flint said, "0n problem is difficult. It appears what one of you wants, the other doesn't." Ci missioner Zaugg said the commission had I been "chipping away on the budget for four weeks to cut down costs. We've savtd all our money problems until 1978," be , said. m |