• HB 23 - Certified Tax Rate (Rep. Hunsaker): Passed both the House and Senate. It is now awaiting the Governor’s signature. This bill requires counties to include collected redemptions (delinquent taxes that have been paid) in the certified tax rate used to calculate property taxes. Note: Utah Association of Counties supported this bill. - Good for Taxpayers!
• HB 122 - Government Records Access and Management Act Amendments (Rep. Aagard): GRAMA Bill failed, Senate sent back to House with amendments not acceptable to House. Note: Utah Association of Counties supported this bill. - Good for citizens! Retains open Government access.
• HB 187 - Recreational Use of Public Water on Private Property (Rep. Ferry): Bill failed; never made it out of the House. Note: Utah Association of Counties took no position on this bill. - Unknown impact.
• HB 201 - Municipal Disincorporation Amendments (Rep. Froerer): Our friends at the Weber County Forum www.wcforum.blogspot.com said it all! Note: Utah Association of Counties supported this bill. - Bad for Powderville homowners.
• HB 246 - Property Tax - Residential Exemption (Rep. Froerer): Bill never made it out of the House. Note: Utah Association of Counties opposed this bill. No relief for mandatory 3 acre owners in OV.
• HB 418 - Delinquent Property Tax Amendments (Rep. Froerer): This bill passed the House unanimously and the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee gave it a unanimous favorable recommendation. But the Senate leadership sat on the bill from March 5 sending it back to the House on March 12 at end of session. Per the Fiscal Note done for the legislation on this bill it would have increased statewide county revenues up to $50,000,000 annually! Note: Utah Association of Counties took no position on this bill. Don’t we all wonder what they were thinking? The only people impacted by this bill would have been the deliberate delinquent tax payers. This allows the tax loophole for fat cats to continue for another year at least!
Our experience with our Weber County leadership on this issue has indicated that the leadership is embarrassed by the facts of the delinquent tax amount in Weber County ($13 Million) and the unfair burden these delinquent taxpayers place on most of us who pay our taxes on time.
Weber County has tried but failed to downplay the amount of money involved in unpaid, delinquent property taxes and the negative impact for other taxpayers. They have not supported any state legislation that would reduce these millions of dollars in uncollected and delinquent property taxes from their favorite charity, the business/developer interests.
The County leaders do not want to answer the questions, how long has this been going on, and what are they doing to lead the effort to end this tax loophole? All three Weber County Commissioners have been in office for at least four years, long enough to be proactive in legislation to reduce these delinquencies.
The Board of Directors for the Utah Association of Counties currently includes three individuals from Weber County, Commissioner Jan Zogmaister, County Treasurer Nila Dayton and Recorder/Surveyor Ernest Rowley.
Larry and Sharon Zini
