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Show Public forum on taxes produces many comments and then pay a fee for assessing taxes as well. It was explained that in 1987, the first year of the new levy, the county submitted a budget to the state for property tax administration. admi-nistration. From that, the State Tax commission came up with the levy. It is based on new legislation that the county must live under and that the State Tax Commission must follow. Commissioners were also castigated casti-gated over the burn plant. Com. Tippetts said that he is convinced that the plant will be one of the finest improvements Davis County has made. Com. Peters added that garbage disposal is the number one problem for cities and counties across the country. By CHERIE HUBER FARMINGTON A public forum on taxes almost ruffled Davis County commissioners, but allowed tax protestors to vent some of their feelings. In his introductory remarks to the small group who came to the county commissioner's public forum on taxes, Commissioner Glen Saunders said that there is not generally a good understanding of how taxes are levied and structured. struc-tured. County government depends on property taxes to generate revenue. re-venue. Only a small amount of money from sales tax comes back to the county from the few businesses busines-ses that operate in the county instead in-stead of a city. On the other hand, the largest share of the property tax dollar goes to the school district, which gets 54.7 percent. Saying that he felt it inappropriate inappropri-ate to talk about taxes over which the county has no control, Commissioner Commis-sioner Saunders said that during the public forum, the commissioners wanted to talk about property taxes. LeMar Holt, deputy county auditor, au-ditor, gave the group some information informa-tion on property taxes. "In a lot of ways property taxes are the most regressive, most costly to administer adminis-ter and very frustrating to administer," adminis-ter," he said. Nevertheless, Davis County is dependent on property taxes. Property Prop-erty taxes generate 50.6 percent of the county's revenue. Everything else but property taxes are affected more rapidly by economic changes. In a program established last year, the ultimate responsibility for assessing and collecting property tax went to the state. County Auditor Ruth Kenning-ton Kenning-ton stated that in 1983, the Davis County Commissioners created an ordinance that allows an applicant to file for one county abatement as a disabled veteran, a blind property owner, or an indigent property owner. In addition, there is the state-sponsored Circuit Breaker abatement. More information on these tax abatements is available through the auditor's office, she said. The interchange became heated when the commissioners opened the meeting to public comment and question. In a statement read by one tax protestor, he said that people are being burdened by overtaxation, and ended his comments by saying that if public officials are not representing repre-senting the people then their resignations res-ignations are in order. Com. Saunders said that he questioned ques-tioned whether people understand the mandates that a county government govern-ment must function under and ' where the budget money is spent. Taxes are the least per capita here, " he pointed out. He went on to say that he felt he was a citizen of the greatest nation on earth and will gladly pay taxes. "Comparable counties in other states budget five times the budget of this county. I honor those seeking the referendum," referen-dum," he said, "but I will vote against it." Those seeking signatures for the referendum asked to be allowed space in the court house, saying if there was room for candy and soft drink machines, there should be a little room for them. Com. Saunders Saun-ders said he would have no objections objec-tions personally to having them in the building. Com. Bill Peters told the group that he was surprised that they would come angry, or appearing to be so, when the commissioners had set up the meeting for them. Pointing out that taxes are less per capita in Davis County, he said, "I think tax dollars are being spent well here." He also added that every ev-ery Wednesday afternoon, the commissioners spend time trying to find ways to cut taxes. The new fee on the tax notice for tax assessing was also questioned. Participants questioned why taxpayers tax-payers pay for a county assessor |