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Show BountiM Raises Mill t Levy By 2 I! For Flood Cleanup i r By GARY R. BLODGETT News Editor BOUNTIFUL - A two-mill levy increase to help pay for flood damage incurred by the "Flood of 1983" was approved last Wednesday night by the Bountiful City Council. "BUT THIS is only the beginning of what will have to be raised to pay for damage unless the state and federal governments come through with a lot more funding than it appears at this time," City Manager Tom Hardy told the council. He said the two mills would generate ab- out $200,000 - $100,000 per mill - which would be only about 15 percent of the $1.5 million damage incurred by the flood. "WE WERE led to believe that state and federal governments would pay for about 75 percent of the costs with the county and cities paying the remaining 25 percent," said Mr. Hardy. "But now it appears that about 85 percent of the total will be paid by local government." Where will this money come from? "WE'LL GET all we can from the state and federal governments, but they only have so much money to go around." "The remainder -- the bulk of the total amount needed not only to cleanup and repair but to replace larger and more adequate facilities will have to come from local bonding." the city manager explained. "We've had several meetings With state and federal emergency aid groups and personally per-sonally we have been quite dissatisfied, especially with the State Legislature. Bountiful Boun-tiful has a $1 million bill for just cleanup -not including repairs and replacements --and --and $200,000 raised from the proposed two mill levy will only be a start." PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 2 Btfl. Raises Mill Levy For Flood Cleanup CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 HE TOLD the council that Davis County is considering a countywide bonding proposal, prop-osal, but there are a lot of details yet to be worked out. "It's not even certain how the money collected would be distributed or how the overall program would be constructed." con-structed." Councilman Bob Linnell said he knows a citywide taxation program is the best solution, solu-tion, but he is reluctant to vote for a mill levy increase without a specific time schedule sche-dule placed on the increased tax. "ONCE A TAX is increased it is never reduced or eliminated unless there is some stipulation to that effect," the councilman noted. "If a time limit can be imposed, I'm all for it." Thus, the council agreed to a motion to adopt a 2-mill emergency flood tax but with a one-year time limit. The extra tax, it was explained, will be lifted effective June 30, 1984. MR. HARDY said the only other source of income might come from either sales tax or from a surcharge on utilities - but both would leave the city with the temptation of leaving the tax for other purposes in future years. He said the 2-mill levy would be designated desig-nated as an "emergency disaster recovery tax" and would be separated from the city's general fund for this purpose. MEANWHILE, THE council approved a city general fund mill levy of 10.39 mills. Mr. Hardy said the 2-mill emergency disaster dis-aster recovery levy would result in an increase in-crease of $18 to $22 per family average per year. "THIS, OF course, will vary with the property valuation," the city manager explained. ex-plained. "For some more expensive home owners, the increase could amount to $35 or $40, and for some less expensive home owners, own-ers, the amount could be as little as a few dollars per year." Mr. Hardy said sales tax is imposed by the State Legislature and cannot be in creased by cities unless authorized by the legislature. Already, the State Legislature has imposed a state 2-mill tax increase to allow for flood damge. UPON A motion by Councilman Paul Allen, it was suggested that the city's 2-mill levy increase be designated for flood damage dam-age repair and that this stipulation be placed in writing with an expiration date of June 30 1984. Also, Davis County recently approved a l-mill levy for aid to flood control victims. This is in addition to the 2-mill flood-controi levy that has been imposed by the county for several years to raise revenue to aid cities (and the county) in flood control programs. prog-rams. MR. HARDY said Bountiful will continue to negotiate with the county, state and federal fed-eral governments for additional funds for flood damage repairs, "but this could end up in the necessity of the city to bond for the city's share of expenses." "if "Governmental agencies' have only so much money to aid with flooding and this has been spread pretty thin with major CS floods throughout the state as well as the nation," Mr. Hardy explained. r "WE, AS a city, will do all that we can to "l obtain outside aid and then if necessary the city will have to obtain a long-term bond. we 11 explore all avenues possible and then do what must be done to complete the cleanup and replace facilities that will be ! adequate to prevent a similar occurence." Earl.er, city officials stressed that even ;;'e though some federal and state aid may be available, additional money will be needed ' . to replace culverts and purchase property 11 tor detention basins that will cost above and beyond what will be allowed by state and V federal aid. m "IT'S GOING to cost the city a lot of money (at least $1 million) just for cleanup H and some replacements," he said. "But i work and continuing costs of the flood arc B'n6 to go on for a long time." |
