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Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Chime in on $10 registration fee
The Summit County Commission is proposing to raise automobile registration fees to help cover the cost of transportation planning and buying easements for future roadways. What do YOU think?
The original post is a bit misleading, since it fails to address the fact that the tax will be imposed county-wide, the benefits are most likely to be centered in the Park City/Snyderville area of the county. Is that fair?
It isn't fai that people in "Snyderville" as you call it, have all of their decisions made for them by people who live in Hennifer, Coalville and Oakley.
Tax increases are always hard to swallow, but $10 dollars per year per car isn't that much, and the purpose is worthy. Any tax can be criticized as unfair, but user fee based charges for public services is even more unacceptable. I don't have kids in public school, but I still pay for it.
Having been a resident of the Park City area for 25 years, I have seen my share of fee increases for one study or another. Almost without exception, the conclusion of these studies has been to impose impact fees on new development. I for one would like to see our elected officials impose these fees instead of increasing the burden on existing residents to fund infrastructure improvements. Significant impact fees should be a cost of doing business and factored into pricing and profit calculations. The taxpayers should not guarantee profits for anybody nor fund infrastructure "improvements" to accomodate growth. I say no to the fee increase.
Contrary to the news reports on this, Park City Council has not approved it and has no intention of exploiting the rest of the county. Too bad the Park Record doesn't cover the entire meeting!
I'm not sure the last blogger has even read the news reports. Park City has no say in whether this gets "approved." Summit County has full authority to levy the fee, cities and towns just get to make RECOMMENDATONS about how the money is spent.
Sorry, but Dana Williams and the Park City Council can chime in, however, they have no policy-making ability on this one.
I'm tired of those, including the mayor of Coalville, that say the $10 tax isn't fair because Park City/Snyderville would get the lion's share of the benefit. We all live in Summit County; NOT East County or West County. Don't the east siders drive through Kimball Junction? How many east side residents work or shop in PC/Synderville? I can tell you it's not the west side that keeps WalMart in business. What about Smith's - doesn't anyone from Coalville or Kamas, Francis, Peoa, etc. shop there either? How about that little old lady living on a fixed income that the Coalville mayor referred to in his KPCW interview - are we supposed to believe that she never leaves the east side? If she has a car, I'm willing to bet she ventures to Kimball Junction so how is it unfair for her to pay for something she uses? Unless you're Harry Potter or you have some kind of flying vehicle, you can't get to KJ without driving on roads that have, in just a few short years, outgrown their capacity. Doesn't PC/KJ contain the lions share of business in the County and, taking that one step further, tax revenue? Is it fair that tax revenue generated in the west benefits the east side too? If you use theargument that some have made (based in truth or not)that east siders shouldn't have to pay the $10 because it won't benefit them, then you'd have to say no, it's not fair that tax revenue generated on the west side benefits the east too. Nobody said life is fair - I have lived in PC/Snyderville for 15+ years and I don't have kids in this school system. Is it fair that part of my property taxes are for the schools? NO, it's not. But it's life. If KJ was on the east side, would we be hearing so much about the 'unfair' $10 tax? I can't be sure, but I think not.
The real problem is that there are only two ways into PC: KJ & Kearns/Rt. 40. Since PC residents consider the KJ traffic situation troublesome, let's do some serious planning & consider where the next trouble spot is: obviously, it's Kearns/Rt.40. The rapid expansion of Promontory & Jordanelle combined with Kamas Valley growth mean that this is the next hot spot. Kearns needs to be widened so it is 4 lanes past PCHS, PCHS should have a longer exit lane to minimize the morning/afternon backups, there should be a tunnel or bridge over Kearns for kids to cross, and the on ramp from 40 to Kearns heading into PC needs to be lengthened so cars exited 40 don't feel the need to stop before entering Kearns heading west.
I think it's a bad idea. I already pay for my vehicle to the state. Inevitably, this charge will go up....just wait. How about charging the fees to multi-car families....or charging $100 to Hummer owners, they have the money.
The Park Record is 125 years old and its mission is basically unchanged -- to chronicle local history as it unfolds, to stimulate debate on current issues and to help citizens guide the future of their communities. As editor of The Park Record for the past 12 years I have seen some amazing changes in the tools available to us to achieve those goals. A blog seemed to be a great new way to add to the ongoing dialog that is so important to a healthy democracy. Thanks for logging on and for your thoughtful comments. --Nan Chalat-Noaker, Jan. 1, 2006
16 comments:
I have no problem with it.
I think we can all afford it.
I think we can all afford it.
The original post is a bit misleading, since it fails to address the fact that the tax will be imposed county-wide, the benefits are most likely to be centered in the Park City/Snyderville area of the county. Is that fair?
It isn't fai that people in "Snyderville" as you call it, have all of their decisions made for them by people who live in Hennifer, Coalville and Oakley.
Tax increases are always hard to swallow, but $10 dollars per year per car isn't that much, and the purpose is worthy. Any tax can be criticized as unfair, but user fee based charges for public services is even more unacceptable. I don't have kids in public school, but I still pay for it.
Having been a resident of the Park City area for 25 years, I have seen my share of fee increases for one study or another. Almost without exception, the conclusion of these studies has been to impose impact fees on new development. I for one would like to see our elected officials impose these fees instead of increasing the burden on existing residents to fund infrastructure improvements. Significant impact fees should be a cost of doing business and factored into pricing and profit calculations. The taxpayers should not guarantee profits for anybody nor fund infrastructure "improvements" to accomodate growth. I say no to the fee increase.
Contrary to the news reports on this, Park City Council has not approved it and has no intention of exploiting the rest of the county. Too bad the Park Record doesn't cover the entire meeting!
I'm not sure the last blogger has even read the news reports. Park City has no say in whether this gets "approved." Summit County has full authority to levy the fee, cities and towns just get to make RECOMMENDATONS about how the money is spent.
Sorry, but Dana Williams and the Park City Council can chime in, however, they have no policy-making ability on this one.
Thanks for listening.
anonymous
I'm tired of those, including the mayor of Coalville, that say the $10 tax isn't fair because Park City/Snyderville would get the lion's share of the benefit. We all live in Summit County; NOT East County or West County. Don't the east siders drive through Kimball Junction? How many east side residents work or shop in PC/Synderville? I can tell you it's not the west side that keeps WalMart in business. What about Smith's - doesn't anyone from Coalville or Kamas, Francis, Peoa, etc. shop there either? How about that little old lady living on a fixed income that the Coalville mayor referred to in his KPCW interview - are we supposed to believe that she never leaves the east side? If she has a car, I'm willing to bet she ventures to Kimball Junction so how is it unfair for her to pay for something she uses? Unless you're Harry Potter or you have some kind of flying vehicle, you can't get to KJ without driving on roads that have, in just a few short years, outgrown their capacity. Doesn't PC/KJ contain the lions share of business in the County and, taking that one step further, tax revenue? Is it fair that tax revenue generated in the west benefits the east side too? If you use theargument that some have made (based in truth or not)that east siders shouldn't have to pay the $10 because it won't benefit them, then you'd have to say no, it's not fair that tax revenue generated on the west side benefits the east too. Nobody said life is fair - I have lived in PC/Snyderville for 15+ years and I don't have kids in this school system. Is it fair that part of my property taxes are for the schools? NO, it's not. But it's life. If KJ was on the east side, would we be hearing so much about the 'unfair' $10 tax? I can't be sure, but I think not.
Two comments:
1. make the commercial enterprises in KJ pay for the enhancements, as they are the primary beneficiaries;
2. is there any assurance that the fee will go solely for road enhancement, or is this just another slush fund for politicians to play with?
Consider who's pushing it -- slush fund, of course!
When is the traffic worst at KJ?
When the ski areas close for the day.
Who isn't paying their fair share for this road fund?
The ski areas!
The real problem is that there are only two ways into PC: KJ & Kearns/Rt. 40. Since PC residents consider the KJ traffic situation troublesome, let's do some serious planning & consider where the next trouble spot is: obviously, it's Kearns/Rt.40. The rapid expansion of Promontory & Jordanelle combined with Kamas Valley growth mean that this is the next hot spot. Kearns needs to be widened so it is 4 lanes past PCHS, PCHS should have a longer exit lane to minimize the morning/afternon backups, there should be a tunnel or bridge over Kearns for kids to cross, and the on ramp from 40 to Kearns heading into PC needs to be lengthened so cars exited 40 don't feel the need to stop before entering Kearns heading west.
I think it's a bad idea. I already pay for my vehicle to the state. Inevitably, this charge will go up....just wait. How about charging the fees to multi-car families....or charging $100 to Hummer owners, they have the money.
How about you just pay the $10 fee and get on with enjoying life.
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