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Show THE ZEPHYRJULY 1991 PAGE 8 the mayor speaks an interview with tom stocks Ken Davey conducted an Interview with Mayor Tom Stocka. The interview haa been edited for clarity and length. CITY BUDGET Zephyr: The city paaaed a budget last week. It calla for an Increaae of about $250.000 In revenuee. Why? Tom: Capital assets. Last year we only paid a portion of the aseets, a third of them. Thia year we budgeted to pay It And we're trying to aet aside about $100,000 for depreciation. That's to replace existing assets that are depleting, like water and sewer lines. Zephyr: Will city government continue to be more costly In future years? Tom: If we have increasing services. We added a planning department, a building Inspector, an executive secretary. And while one person with a substantial amount of overtime was handling the recorder's department, we now have 2 people. So youre looking at salaries. Zephyr: You Increased the local gross business license foe, or local sales tax, and you abolished the city property tax. Are you In favor of that? Tom: Time will tell. Zephyr: Time will tell with a lot of things. But force? Zephyr: Was It an effective strike I Tom: I can't answer that assume there were a number of things that got law enforcement In drug problems now, accomplished, but I assume we have some effective both county and city. 7nhwr; How much did San Juan County. Montlcello. and Blandlng pulling out of the strike force affect your vote? Tom: It did a bit but more was how the council was feeling regarding Insurance. That question was brought up, and leadership of the drug force did nothing about It Until Jim Nyland decides that he wants a program, and offers that program to the city in a manner that the council can feel comfortable with it, I can't feel comfortable with It either. Jim says he needs money, they handed him $85,000, and he dealt It out like a deck of cards. For what? And then we're going to kill his whole drug task force by not supporting $6,000? What's going on? Where Is he coming from? Do we have a sheriff, or Is he sitting home on his laurels, saying Tm the sheriff"? I don't know. It Zephyr: So are you saving that you voted against because you didn't feel the sheriffs department was providing effective leadership? Tom: Yes. I can answer you very honestly that Jim Nyland Is not providing effective leadership for that department in a manner that Is financially responsible to the public. as of right now, do you think It was UP&L POWER UNE a good Idea? Tom: Why do I need conjecture at this point? There are a lot of ramifications. You and have had some discussion about that And I don't know If either you or I was right Zephyr: Mv view was that the tax shift from property tax to sales tax puts a burden on the poor and a big tax break for the rich. Is that accurate? Tom: I don't know if that's necessarily accurate. I would say there was validity to what you said, but accuracy, no I don't think you're totally accurate. The tact Is, there are I a lot of people who are gathering food stamps, and those people are not paying anything, Including the sales tax. We need to continue to address flat business licenses, for those businesses that don't have sales tax, engineering, accounting, lawyers, doctors. It excludes them from the tax, and we need to address that You were laying It on because they took action on one area, that that was the end, and I don't think that was true. So I say time will telL You Indicated that the motels which were paying three grand in taxes wouldn't pay them anymore. Say a motel that haa one hundred units, at $50 a room for 8 months a year, that's $120 tax per room each year, and that's pretty healthy. Zephyr: People who own valuable homes will save money, while people who own small homes will probably end up paving more. Is that fair? Tom: The scenario you just gave, no that's not fair. But whether or not what you say Is true, I have to calculate each. hundred a Zephyr: OK. people with 3 or 4 kids, renting a home, spending $2-3week on goods In Moab. will end up paying $50. $100. even $150 dollars a year In extra sales tax. But people with very valuable houses will save hundreds of dollars. Tom: Let me see those numbers. I don't think you're completely accurate with that, you may be undershooting. I think you're giving me scenarios with Ideal selection, and 1 dont think that's going to be true. And you're dealing with the fat cats who live in the city. We're not dealing with the fat cats who live In the county. I've been saying that the people in the city limits have been burdened by county residents services, such as the Old City Park, the Golf Course, the Swimming Pool, you name It, that are open at no additional cost to those people. Zephyr: So was It a good decision to increase the local aalea tax and cut the property tax? Tom: There has got to be things added to that. The decision by itself may not be a good or bad decision. The council doesnt have to stop there. They need to look at user fees, look at where things are Inequitable. Coupled with this decision, It would then be a good package. Zephyr: Why are water and sewer fees being Increased by 10 percent? Tom: Why Is the cost of living going up? Zephyr: Is the city's cost of providing water going up? Tom: For one thing, yes, costs are going up in that this year the council took a look at all the salaries of employees. After we discussed the budget, the state retirement program advised us we have a 2 percent across the board increase we didn't expect We haven't been raising rates. An enterprise fund for water and sewer has always been required to keep up with depreciation, because of bonding and accountability. We have not been setting that aside. So the enterprise fund has been showing a loss each year, because the operating coats have been so high. This Is a step toward an attempt to mitigate those replacement costa. This Is an attempt by the council to set aside $100,000 a year, which has been the approximate depredation over the past 10 years. That's what we've been discussing, getting the money there for when things break. What do we do when one of the lines rusts out, or main? We haven't been putting money in the bank to offset those costs. 2, or 3, ora to an do that Yes, we probably ought to be up higher. This council has This is attempt been very conservative In raising any additional costs to the public. They've been taking very small bites, when we were advised 5 years ago by Engineering Consultants James Montgomery Engineering that are should have gone up 30 to 40 percent at that time. 00 16-In- ch FOUR CORNERS NARCOTICS STRIKE FORCE Zephyr: The coundl voted to pull out of the Four Comers Narcotics Strike Force. You voted for that Why? Tom: This Is a tough question. I dislike having things printed In the paper to converse with another Individual or two. The county commission and the sheriff's office have been difficult to communicate with over the past few years. The commission chairman Is In charge of running the commission. The budget of the sheriff's office Is set by him. The way its operated is under the responsibility of the sheriff's office, and haa been under the drug task force. If we gave that $6,000 and more, would that resolve our drug problem? Jim Nyland has never come to us to say that It would or wouldn't He has to decide what he wants. Zephyr: There was a public meeting with Utah Power and Light about putting a powerline down 4th East What's your opinion? Should UP&L be given permission to do It? Tom: Why do you ask that? They were given permission. Zeohvr: Well, was that a good decision? Tom: I'm working for that council, what are you trying to do to me? Any decision that council makes, In my opinion, Is a good decision? Zephyr: Do you support that decision? Tom: I support the council. Zephyr: That wasn't the question. Tom: I support that decision, because the council made that decision. There are Indications they may bring it up for reconsideration after that meeting. Zephyr: Shouldn't the city government have looked for that public comment before they voted to give permission? Tom: Thst was a choice of the council at that time. You're asking me questions to make criticisms of the council. I'm not going to do that This council takes a lot of thought and consideration for the things they do. I think if a a good coundL Zephyr: Two other alternatives were raised at this public meeting. One was to set a utilities corridor In lesa populated sress of town, and the other was to run a parallel up feed Into the dtv. next to the existing line. What do you think of those Ideas? Tom: Does It balance? Cm an accountant Zephyr: Im not sure what that means. Tom: Youre asking me to step out of my field and make a decision about power that I have no knowledge about Zephyr: But you're also the city administrator and mayor, so Ifa legitimate for people In town to ask your opinion. Tom: I don't think that's legitimate. I'd have to say, give me time and Ill ask the I don't have any quarrel with which way they go with that There are a number of experts. things that have to be dealt with, and we don't need to cram anything down anyone's throat We need to look at all aspects of what we're dealing with. And the more Information, the better knowledge you have, the better decisions can be made. THE MOAB LANDFILL Zephyr: Lef a move on to the dump. The county commission wrote a letter to the the dump coats, about $120,000, or you should run It yourself. Whaf a vour reaction to the letter? Tom: I presented the letter to the members of the city council before the budget I wrote a letter back to the chairman of the commission, advised him that In all the meetings I had been at, the council felt that user foes Is the way to go. Zephyr: What la the problem between the city and county? Why can't a solution or compromise be found? Tom: You have taro views on that The council haa a tendency to be more environmentally concerned than the commission does. Whether that's right or wrong, I don't mean to judge that at all. The other thing Is the money situation, when they speak about the extreme cost of operating the dump. Most communities who are operating one have determined that a user foe is the way to go, and there la a tippage charge. You can't just dig In your pocket and have the taxpayers put money back in. Those who are filling the dump ought to be paying IL Zephyr: Why doea the dtv own the dump? Tom: Because the BLM gave It to us. Zephyr: Why did the city take It? Waa that a mistake? f Tom: Not necessarily. Why would you that the dty a Ifa area mistake? an It's say and county have had for years and years. ZePhW: h wasnt that long ago that the dtv tried to give the dump to the county. If H' a no problem owning It whv trv to give It awav? Tom: It goes back to the environmental Issue. The county commfoeloners operating the dump had also taken it one step further, and started accepting materials from out of the state and out of the area, materials that weren't allowed to be put In other dumps. The council said they wanted a stop to that We felt If they wanted to continue to do that, they should accept the total liability and responsibility for the dump from that point forward. Zephyr: So whaf a vour prediction aa to what win happen? Tom: I don't predict I'm a poor predictor. As I said to David Knutson, "when you and the commission would like to discuss It with the council, let me know and I'M be happy to arrange a meeting." city, saying you should pay half |
