FARMINGTON -- The resolution to submit a ballot question for Farmington residents that would impose sales and use tax within the city to fund a Performing Arts Center was turned down by city council members Tuesday night.
The RAP tax (recreation, arts and parks) issue was discussed in Tuesday's city council meeting. Mayor Scott Harbertson said "too many other tax implications" were the primary reason for choosing not to impose the tax on residents to fund a performing arts facility or other recreational and cultural facilities.
"With things like property taxes on the rise and a quarter percent sales tax for transportation on the ballot already, we felt that it would be more than citizens can handle and that they might say no to everything," he said. "It didn't pass and it failed for lack of a motion."
Harbertson said that, on its own merits, not taking tax limitations into account, city council members were accepting overall of the idea to have the tax on the ballot to fund a new performing arts center.
"Mostly we see it as a positive thing because we would really like to have a new performing arts center in Davis County available to citizens," he said. "Basically everyone on the council was OK with it, but it was just a matter of timing."
The last Legislature made it possible for individual cities to seek voter approval of a RAP tax. Thus far, all South Davis cities have approved it but North Salt Lake. Officials in all cities have expressed reservations, with Centerville backing a regional performing arts center.
dradunich@davisclipper.com
Post a Comment
