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Show Standard Rate US. Postage Pad P.O. Box 224 Milford, UT 84751 Milford. UT 84751 Perm No 15 fill mi n III VI 1 P. O. Box 224 DECEMBER 4, 1997 VOL. VII NO. 48 Milford, Utah 84751 Milford is the place to be on Recenber A Efecenber 6 Priz.e List Christmas Tradition! . 1 , jlj Pvres are displayed in the window of Sam 's Furniture Store. Milford shoppers are always winners especially during December. Participating merchants (see list on page will be their customers a drawing ticket for every $5.00 ) giving December 6, 13 purchase. Drawings will be held at 1:00 P.M. each Saturday until Christmas &20 near the Milford Chevron. Some merchants will be offering prizes, in which case tickets are drawn first from that store's container. Remaining tickets go in the barrel for the Chamber of Commerce drawing. The customer, or customer's spouse if married, must be present to win general drawing prizes. It is not necessary to be present to win drawing prizes. All tickets remain viable until the final drawing The tradition began about 25 years ago with the then Business Men's Association it evolved into the Business Association when Mrs. Altman and Joan Long became active participants, and finally to the present Chamber of Commerce. Aside from being fun for everyone, the drawings are intended to keep shoppers... and the shopping dollars at home. "In the beginning we gave away money but that was before Red Wilson came along and showed us a better way," Joan said. In the 18 or so years that she served as chairman for the drawing, the committee kept record of the tickets used. "In our worst years.. ..even when the town was practically dead there was about a quarter of a million dollars in tickets," she recalled. re re Big Budget For A Little County Beaver County Commissioners approved a whopping $9,840,820 budget for 1998. Approximately $5 million of that amount is unexpended jail construction funds. Additionally, for the jail makes the lion's share operating cost $1,180,688 of the increase over the 1997 budget. Salaries and benefits for the corrections department account for approximately $740,000. The budget shows recycled tax dollars of $220,000 income from a state prisoner contract and $85,000 from a district court taxation contract. Additional income gleaned from warmed-ove- r includes police services contracts ($230,000) and animal control ($51,000), both of which are paid to the county from tax collected by the cities. All elected officials received a 3 pay increase. Employees did not receive a cost of living increase, but did receive increase based on grade and step achievements. Most, but not all, employees advanced one step for a 3 increase. The county has 69 total employees, including everyone from the commissioners, at an average of $1 1,760 salary and $8,767 in e benefits each, to hourly, help with no benefits. Doug Carriger, administrative assistant, is paid partly from the administrative fund and partly from the road fund, for an approximate $34,000 per year plus benefits. Libraries in each of the three communities will receive an equal grant of $18,100 from the county instead of paying wages, benefits, and providing a purchasing allowance for books. The county will continue to fund the Bookmobile at $21,250. The county expects to collect 5,000 in fines from J.P. court, about a 10 increase over last year. Cost for the public defender has also increased. The county has agreed to contract with John E. Hummel for $33,000 next year. Conflicts and appeals will be handled on a case by case basis. According to Paul Barton, county clerk, Hummel has expressed a willingness to relocate to the county. COPY" part-tim- Properly Taxes Soar in 1997 Press Release from Utah Taxpayer Association: Utah property taxes in 1997 are expected to climb charged by a staggering 13 over last year's the 3 figure, overshadowing increase in 1996 and the smaller increases of the previous 10 years, according to projections by the Utah Taxpayers Association. "This is an indication of the diminishing effect Truth-Taxation is having in slowing property tax increases," said Howard Association President, m Stephenson. The $139 million projected increase in property tax charged for 1997 is the largest percentage increase since 1983, which predated the public protection measures of Truth-i- n Taxation. Under Truth in Taxation, any proposed property tax increase was to be accompanied by public notices, advertising both the extent of the tax increase and the time and location of a public hearing for the citizens to express their support or opposition to the increase. Before Truth-i- n Taxation, property taxes increased by an average of 2 every year. When the public notice and public hearing requirements were first implemented in 1986, the impact to tax increases Instead of was readily apparent. normal taxes the increasing by than more increased slightly by only But. since 1989, three has been a continual upward trend in the percentage increases if significant property tax cuts and the voting requirements to raise property taxes had not been implemented. entities have "Taxing that if they realize to come gradually submit t the public's scrutiny for one night, nothing requires them to act according to taxpayer concerns or 1 12, 6. Stervta will Prize list for the first drawing: $150.00 shopping spree (Todd's and Western $25.00 savings Family); certificate (1 each from First Security Bank and Southern Utah Federal Credit Union), Ham (Circle 4); Case of Pepsi (Todd's); Physical (Milford Valley Health Care); 2 lb. bag of pinenuts (Alan & Mike Schow); Mini Leatherman (Sholzens Products; $25.00 Qft Certificate (R&R Diner); Hat (Scholzens Products); Station Special for two Restaurant), (2) (Station Lovers Delight Dinner (Hong Kong); $25.00 cash drawing Development); (ProCon $25.00 cash drawing (Station Motel). Chamber of Commerce Prizes for the first drawing are: Glass Christmas Tree Tray, $25.00 Gift Certificate Case, $10.00 Gas Certificate Gas $10.00 John's; Certificate Milford Chevron; Crafted Doll; Propane Heater; Smoke Fire Extinguisher; Detector; Dreamsicle Figurine; Heavy Duty Staple Gun; Gift Certificate for 10 Movie -- Rental; Snow ten&rtary Saturday -L&cenber 6 All children are invited to see Stenta viirgl& Stephenson. The 1995 and 19 property tax revenue increases were relatively small due to two factors. First, the legislature granted a $90 million property tax cut in 1995 and a S30 million cut in 1996. Second, to ensure the effects of the property tax cuts were not swallowed up by local entities seizing the opportunity to raise their rates, the legislature required any increase in property taxes to be put to a vote of the people "In during 1995 and 1996. the it voting appears retrospect, requirement discouraged entities from proposing any unnecessary tax increase," said Mr. Fredde. Due to recent legislation, 1998 will be similar to 1995 and 1996 in one regard: there will be another decrease in property taxes if counties decide to use the local sales tax option. The legislature has allowed counties to implement a 14 local sales tax option if the increase in (Continued on page 3) &elllaift$hop Mot Chocolate Sponsored by Gilford Lady Lions AMMUAL, vSMiAS A drawing to give away two stuffed children's Christmas stockings will highlight this year's United Methodist Women's Christmas bazaar. Pat Rimpau, UMW president, says the drawings will be limited to she kids ten and under. "We also will still have our their folks and little for afford "so can to added, buy gifts youngsters brothers and sisters." Free gift wrapping is available for the purchases made by these young shoppers. The bazaar also features handcrafted gift items made by local residents as well as an array of homemade pies, cakes, cookies, jellies and candies. For those wishing to enjoy a little break, chili and homemade pie are available throughout the day. The event runs from 10 AM until 4 PM at the Methodist Fellowship Hall, 350 North 100 West, in Milford. under-$3-table- ," County Acts To Avoid Sled, Shovel; Road Stuffed Kit; Emergency Teddy Bear. y at Gilford Serviette Server; prevents them from implementing an unpopular, and perhaps unnecessary, property tax increase," noted Greg Fredde, Taxpayer Association Vice President. A Large portion of this year's increase is due to property taxes on constructed buildings. newly Estimates from the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget place the growth in the state's tax base at $6.7 billion. This could account for as much as 9 of the 13 increase in property taxes charged. "Even though the rate of construction has been unusually high for 1997, a fast rate of construction isn't a new phenomenon to Utah and doesn't account entirely for the huge increase in mis year's property taxes," Said Mr. Fredde. What sets this year's increase apart from past years are the 48 taxing entities that raised "This is an tax rates. enormous increase in the number of entities raising tax rates,: noted Mr. b& 6th Dust Violation Dust from vehicle traffic on the heavily traveled Milford flat roads has gotten out of hand. To avoid being cited for violation, Beaver County is in the process of voluntarily drafting a suppression plan. While it can be done in stages, this ultimately means surfacing the roads in question. Scott Hacking, DEQ District Engineer, said his department will not mandate an immediate chip and seal of the road (or roads). They will work with the county to develop an dust suppression plan. Dust suppressant products, such as magnesium chloride, applied with a regular maintenance plan could form a hard base to eventually be chipped and sealed. County Commissioner Chad Johnson expects that the county will be able to cover surfacing expense from the road department budget. County B and C road funds are derived from gasoline tax instead of property tax. Johnson did not clarify relationship to other road maintenance versus the dust suppression expense on Thermo Road. Dust suppression on the Milford flat roads was not on Monday's commission agenda. The dust suppression plan appears to be a county closed-doo- r subject to be handled by Doug Carriger, Administrative Assistant. In fact, only one appointment and four items of discussion listed on the December 1st agenda. Commissioners did hear one were item. Ray Rowley reported to the commissioners that a culvert in front of his home on SR2 1, installed as a result of the Circle Four feed mill road project, docs not properly drain. He also stated that during preparation for the road work his fence was damaged. Commissioners agreed to have someone investigate. He further voiced his displeasure at being cited for a Class C Misdemeanor for junk in his yard, and suggested that his neighbor, Commissioner Richard Rollins, is also out of compliance and should also be charged. "You say yours isn't junk. Well, mine isn't junk to me either," he explained. Rowley had previously met with County Kanell Leo and Commissioner Johnson on the matter. A Attorney him filed two years ago may have expired for lack of against complaint action. Kanell indicated that, at some point, his office may have had a signed complaint against Rowley from Milford City. Kanell recently filed another suit for violation of a zoning ordinance. The file, at this time, does not contain a signed complaint. With his ire peaked, Rowley told Kanell that if he has to clean up.. ..everyone else in the county must do likewise. He provided a list of but only after the point offenders, complete with names and addresses where the dust violation on Thermo Road became evident. Hacking confirmed that a notice of violation for dumping whey is also being issued. DOT violations, zoning violations, fuel storage, junk stored in the county and inside the confines of Milford City and Beaver City, are all on Rowley's list. Additionally, Rowley claims selective enforcement. A tresspass complaint he signed several weeks ago when a Jones and DcMille surveyor crossed his posted fence may have been lost. He says he will sign another complaint, but he wants it served. on-goi- non-agen- da |