No proper government can function without taxation.  Good governance, however, requires transparent and rational tax policy. Using fees to disguise a tax-style revenue program is dubious game that needs to stop.  I stand for transparency and voter approval of all revenue programs.  Let's call revenue what it is to you - a tax.

 

Simply put, the need for revenue must be presented and carefully evaluated.  Citizens have the right to know up front how their hard-earned money is being spent, and why more is needed.  Whether it is to supplement an existing need or fund a new program, voters must be informed, and voters must decide.  Finally, the economic climate should recognized - we need to ask, "is this the right time?"

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As an example, a few years ago, voters were asked to approve two tax changes:  The first was a transfer of 12 mills from CPNMD to the City to be used in the areas served by CPNMD, and the second was for the entire remainder of the City to adopt 12 new mills, based on a promise that it would be "netted" out by transfers from their Metro Districts.  

 

--> Citizens should have received an accounting from staff on how the transferred mills would be used.  The response of "if we get it it will be spent," was totally unacceptable.  How could we know if we needed all the millions that would be generated?  

 

--> Citizens in the rest of the City should have been told what the real impact to their bottom line would be - in each area.  The 200+ homes in Hidden Pointe ended up with a whopping 12 NEW mills.  The 200+ homes in Castle Valley ended up with a single digit decrease.  The Canyons homes had to wait months for the transfer, resulting in 12 new mills for several months.  

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--> Citizens should not have been promised new park facilities that would ultimately be unfunded.  Much fanfare was made about Soaring Hawk Park in the Canyons, but as the price of this park increased exponentially, there was no true way for this new tax to finance it.  The projected reserves that would have made a small contribution to the park has evaporated.

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--> City staff should have been up-front about the true cost of taking over new open space, especially while construction is still going on in the Canyons.  What was projected to be a "net" impact ended up being the assumption of the high cost of establishing new landscapes - costs that are usually the responsibility of a developer, builder, or Metro District.  Now, with the 2026 budget it is proven that a huge chunk of the transferred 12 mills must be used for maintenance of these new areas.  $8.9M of a $14.5M City budget.

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