| Show Breakdown Report Outlines General Debt Total term long Iong term general debt exclusive of utility dept debt debt of all ll local gov governmental units nits in Sanpete County at the end of 1962 amounted to or approximately per capita apita This was revealed in an analysis analysis analysis ana ana- lysis of Joc local l government nt finances finances fi fi- nances in Utah prepared by Utah Foundation private privat tax taic research org organization The report report re re- port indicates indicates' that total local general debt ranged from less r than 10 per capita in Wasatch Wasatch Wa Wa- satch Batch and Summit Counties to o per capita in Weber County and averaged ab about ut per capita throughout the state Total general expenditures by all local units county municipalities s school districts and special l districts in Sanpete Sanpete Sanpete San San- pete County amounted to 2 2 in 1962 This included for education for roads and streets 18 for health w welfare and hospitals for police and nd fire protection and for all other local government government government govern govern- ment functions The Foundation report shows that the 1962 general expenditures expenditures expenditures expendi expendi- tures of all ll local units in S Sanpete Sanpete San San- n- n pete County amounted to per capita and were equal to approximately 1842 per cent of f total income in the county for the year Statewide local government expenditures during during during dur dur- ing 1962 averaged per capita and were equal to about 9 09 per cent of total personal income Foundation analysts point out that special taxing districts in Utah h have ve incurred more more debt than any other type of governmental unit At the end of 1962 the total debt of local governments in Utah amounted amount amount- ed to 2528 million Nearly half this of-this amount 1242 1242 2 min mil million lion was indebtedness of special special special cial taxing districts By comparison comparison comparison com com- parison school district debt totaled million municipal municipal municipal pal debt amounted to million and county debt was equal to 88 million According to the Foundation Study the debt limits imposed by the State Constitution do donot donot donot not apply to special taxing districts dis dis- In some cases the statutory statutory statutory sta sta- sta- sta debt limits placed on such special districts are several several several sev sev- eral times that prescribed for other governmental units The report charges that the constitutional debt limits in Utah have been be n circumvented by changing the statutory rate of assessment This was done in 1961 when the Legislature raised the debt limits of school districts along with all other governmental units by one third merely by changing the legal assessment ratio from 40 per cent to 30 per cent The c courts have ruled that constitutional constitutional constitutional con con- debt limits in Utah are based on per cent assessment assessment assessment as- as as as- levels and that lowering lowering lowering low low- ering the legally st stated t q assessment assessment assess assess- ment meat ratio will automatically raise the amount a governmental governmental governmental gov gov- unit may borrow Another device employed employ d by governmental units nits to pass by-pass constitutional debt limits according according according ac ac- ac- ac cording to the Foundation has been the use use of rev revenue n e bonds These are obligations whose retirement is dependent upon specific revenue sources and not backed up by the general credit of the issuing authority Such obligations are now considered considered considered con con- part of the debt subject subject subject sub sub- to the constitutional debt limi limits ts |
