Show l I Industrial Bureau Looks at BIG SIG Davis Problem Problem J- J Jt r it t B By y KEN KENNEY KEN t F I Davis Industrial Bureau k f Whenever an area doubles t Its population every ten years ears as Davis County has for the thet t past two decades many problems problems r lems come in the wake of that k k growth r The Davis County Industrial f Bureau feels that lack of oC industry industry in in- is Davis County's greatest greatest greatest great great- est problem We also feel leel that this is the cause of many other problems facing us today The following facts indicate that Davis County needs industry industry industry indus indus- try 1 Commercial and industrial property properly valuation amounts to only percent of oC the total assessed valuation in Davis County which is far ar below the state average of oC percent This places Davis County I 1 out of 23 counties in percentage of oC property classified as commercial commercial commercial com com- mercial and industrial Two years ago Davis was with percent which illustrates the fact that this condition is worsening 2 2 On the other hand Davis County is number one in the state in percent of residential assessed valuation with percent compared to the state average of oC percent Two years ears ago the Davis County figure ligure was percent indicating indicating indicating ing a progressively larger portion portion portion por por- tion of oC assessed valuation is residential People generally are not aware that this this' this low low commercial and industrial valuation and high residential valuation creates creates creates cre cre- ates a problem However it isa is isa isa a fact that A residential com which has a small industrial industrial in industrial in- in or commercial tax base must either have high taxes to support a min minimum mum of oC decent services or it must have less than a minimum of decent services Davis County is an illustration illustration illustration tion of the truth of 01 the above statement Our assessed valuation val per capita is out of oC 29 counties The Davis County Coun Coun- ty estimate is assessed valuation valuation val val- per capita The lowest county in the state is estimated at per capita while the slate state average is 1494 The high percentage of oC property property property prop prop- erty classified residential is the cause of oC this extremely low assessed valuation per capita This produces a high average tax lax rate Davis County as a result has the second highest average property tax rate in Utah As any city councilman or town board member in a growing growing growing grow grow- ing community can tell you growth of a community brings a need for many capital improvements improvements improvements im im- im- im above the normal expenses of a community Adequate Adequate Adequate Ade Ade- quate commercial and industrial industrial industrial indus indus- trial valuation can be a big help in paying for or these im im- im- im To broaden the tax base isn't the only reason we need industry indus indus- tr try Davis County desperately needs to diversify its economic base We are over over dependent dependent on ona ona ona a single employer the employer the federal government The Hie Davis County School District has found that 39 percent of oC our students are federally related that related that is their parents work for the federal 4 government We have been extremely extremely extremely ex ex- fortunate that there has been little fluctuation in federal employment especially at nt Hill lUll Air Force Base And the future looks bright However defense activity is known for great fluctuations in activity and we should do what we can canto canto canto to diminish the one Industry condition now prevailing by encouraging encouraging en en- non defense related industry to come to Davis Coun Coun- ty Additional employment opportunities opportunities opportunities op op- op- op are also provided by industry Many people have to commute outside Davis County to work It would be desirable to have more and better jobs in Davis County New industry is always alwa's a stimulus to existing business by obtaining goods goods' and services from local business These are some of the rea reasons reasons reasons rea- rea sons why the Davis County Count Industrial Industrial Industrial In In- Bureau feels that Davis County needs industry Over two years ago a group of oC minded civic Davis County boosters saw the great lack of oC industry in Davis County After a careful study it was felt that Davis County offers industry I all the advantages other areas along the Wasatch front do It was also seen that whereas Salt Lake City and Ogden were spending large sums of money helping industry locate in their areas arens Davis County was doi doing g nothing As a consequence relatively relatively rel reI- rel- rel few industries have located located located lo lo- lo- lo in Davis County Because of this the Da Davis Das s Count County Industrial Industrial Industrial In In- bureau was organized After talking with the staff I members of oC the Utah Committee Commit Commit- tee on Industrial and Employment Employment Employment Employ Employ- ment Planning it was felt that one of ot the first things that should be done was the preparation preparation preparation prepa prepa- ration of ol a brochure describing the industrial advantages of oC locating locating locating lo lo- cating in jn Davis County No funds were available for Cor a staff to prepare a brochure and as asa asa asa a result it has been done on donated time and has taken over one and a half hall years to prepare it The Davis County Industrial Bureau feels that the wait has been well worthwhile We believe believe believe be be- lieve that this brochure is the finest brochure of oC its type produced produced produced pro pro- in Utah As a off kick for the brochure the Industrial Bureau is preparing preparing preparing pre pre- paring the program in I tio tion with the annual dinner dinnel of the Associated Service Clubs of oC Davis County The dinner for or orall all service club members in the county will begin at 7 pm p.m. April 15 in the cafeteria of oC Davis High School Ka Kaysville The public is invited and urged to attend the program to tobe tobe tobe be presented by the Industrial Bureau beginning at pm p.m. in the high school auditorium Special guests will include county and m municipal oll officials who have thus far Car provided the only financial support to the Industrial Bureau as a result of oC this meeting It is hoped that the service clubs and businesses ses of oC the county will support the Industrial Bureau in a bigger bigger bigger big big- ger and better program to attract industry to the county 4 |