OCR Text |
Show j Questions Answered: J I Mill Creek Project j j should benefit I all in County I The Grand County Water Conservancy District is I ademption to answer questions pertaining to the proposed J Mill Creek Water Project by means of a question and I i answer forum published each week in The Times- i Independent. During the past few weeks, a large number 1 of questions pertuining to the project have been dealt with, i ' If you have questions about the project which you would ' like answered, don't hesitate to contact the District Office, J 125 Liast Center, Moab, and they will be dealt with in ' I subsequent columns. I t QucNllom I would like to know the reason for taxing J the entire county for the Mill Creek Project, when all the ' I benefits go to landowners and residents of Moab and I . Spanish Vulleys. The project will not benefit me on my I ninch 40 miles away. Yet if the bond Issue passes, 1 will be I i taxed to support the project? , f (The above question was received from a land owner located on the eastern edge of Grand County, and is of I ' concern to taxpayers located in outlying areas away from ' I the City of Moab and Spanish Valley. Answer: The sponsoring agencies (County Commis- ' I sion. Water Conservancy District, Special Service District I and the State Division of Water Resources) have felt since the beginning of work on the project that it must be an I all-out effort by all taxpayers of the County or it would not j ' be possible to achieve its objectives. f I It is reasonable to believe that benefits to the City and I ' Spanish Vulley will also benefit others in the County. Most ' I residents of the County shop in Moab at least part of the I time. Increased property values in the City and Valley help I to relieve the tax load on the outlying areas and also tend I i to maintain an increase of property values in these more . distant areas. The people of Moab and Spanish Valley I have for many years paid taxes to build and maintain roads i " and other services in the entire county so it is not ' unreasonable to assume that people living out of the valley I ' area would not be unfairly taxed for this much needed ' I water project. We are sure that very few of our County I roads could have been built and maintained in their J I present condition without full county taxpayer coopera- I i tion. . It is true that some property owners will not receive direct benefits such as irrigation or culinary water but the i " indirect benefits will result in a more prosperous Grand ' J County and stable economy for all residents. As one I " businessman puts it. "I came here twenty years ago, the " I streets were in, the sewer and water were in and paid for . by those w ho were wise enough to get it done when it was I needed, now I feel that it is my turn to help pay for I i improvements for the people who will follow me in Moab." i I The above question is a long and controversial one 1 and has very valid points on both sides. It is hoped that the i I taxpayers of the County will support the project which will ! produce some benefits to everyone even though the ' benefits cannot be exactly equal for all. (Is any project so ' I perfect that this not be the case?). I . Question i Whmt precautions are being taken to prevent a . I silt build-up In the water-storage basin caused by water I i and dirt draining ofT the high ground to the East of the lake i I site? I Answer: The engineering firm which is handling this I ' matter has stated that the high ground to the Northeast, I Southeast and due East of the lake site is of insufficient J acreage and general soil composition to create an ' I appreciable silt buildup. The greatest potential for silt I . damage appears to be the lake site which will be under . water itself and the land located in a general Westerly I i direction from the project, neither of these being i I significant. This problem was approached earlier in the I planning and the Board of Directors of the Water 1 ' Conservancy District were satisfied that no unusual ' problem existed. This is not to say that it cannot happen I ' under any circumstances, merely that under the present ' I set of standards such an occurrence is highly unlikely. I Question: Please explain the mill-levy requirements . of the Mill Creek Project in terms of actual cost to a I 1 property owner. i I Answer: A one (1) mill levy will increase a person's property tax one dollar for every thousand dollars assessed f ' valuation, thus a person who owns property assessed at " $10,000 would have his property tax increased by $10.00 I J per year. At present the Water Conservancy District has a ' I two (2) mill levy, which means two dollars per year one I . one-thousand dollars assessment of nronerrv. or four dollars per year on two-thousand dollars assessment of (property. 1 Question: Will anyone who is presently receiving I water from sources which will form the water-storage area . i have their water rights restricted so as to produce hardships on the users? I Answer: AH present water users are assured by ' I contracts now in negotiation that their water use won't be i curtailed or limited as a result of this project being built. j Quite the contrary will happen in fact. Most of the water that is being lost into the Colorado River will be for sale for 1 ' those who desire more than they are presently using, or to ? those who have heretofore depended on well water. |