Is There a Better Way for Riverton City?

(Newswire.net — December 27, 2016) SLC, Utah — December 21, 2016) Riverton City, Utah – Other options are available to Riverton, instead of continual tax increases from SLVLESA.  That’s the sentiment of Riverton City Councilman, Trent Staggs, as he detailed his findings and opinion on Riverton’s involvement in the Salt Lake Valley Law Enforcement Service Area (SLVLESA). He spoke in a public forum Thursday the fifteenth to share research and to ask residents to consider a different way forward for the city’s method of payment for police services as SLVLESA announced a nine point four nine tax increase that will go into effect in November 2017. After noting his appreciation for and long standing support of law enforcement, Staggs went on to explain how SLVELSA works and how he plans to support a change that could enable local residents to avoid the tax increase and provide it with greater control over its service levels.

“Nobody likes tax increases, I certainly do not,” noted Staggs. “However, given the county’s declining revenue in SLVLESA, this first ever tax increase will cover the cost of inflationary increases and therefore allow new growth revenues in 2017 to finally be used to fund new officers.” Staggs continues, “The county had $1.6M more in expenses than revenue from their part of the service area in 2016. Even after this projected tax increase for 2017, if you assume the exact same property tax bases as last year and the same number of officers, the county would still have $500k more in expenses than revenue, whereas Riverton would be positive $400k and Herriman positive $600k.” Staggs continues, “Given the projected shortfall for the county even after increase, and to maintain a 15% minimum fund balance, the county is largely driving cost and policy decisions to increase 4-5% over the next several years.” This means continued SLVLESA tax increases for the foreseeable future.

Staggs will be working with his state representative, Dan McCay, on legislation that would allow the City Council to withdraw from the district without waiting for a vote of the people in only odd numbered years. Although only a vote of the city council in 2011 annexed the city into the service area, the only current way under state law to withdraw from such a service area is by a ballot initiative in odd numbered years. Withdrawal from SLVLESA could circumvent the nine and a half percent tax increase, saving Riverton City residents about five hundred thousand dollars in 2017 alone, and give it greater control over the number of officers assigned to Riverton.

The history behind Riverton’s participation in SLVLESA is dynamic. Back when the city joined SLVLESA under Mayor Applegarth, Staggs suggests that “I can see how some thought it may have been a good idea back then. When the Mayor decided in 2011 to enter the city into the agreement, there were different considerations. After the landslide at Kennecott, the service area lost a lot of revenue and now, it’s time to bring accountability back to the city council so we can address local issues and save our citizens money.” Prior to agreeing to any tax increase for SLVLESA, Staggs had insisted on SLVLESA having an interlocal agreement with the city that allows Riverton to take ownership of their precinct at no additional cost and to also take their accrued fund balance if they should choose to withdraw. This will be a big benefit to the city if legislation is approved and the City Council is allowed to make the change. When Mayor Applegarth originally presented SLVLESA, there was a balancing act of budgets and fees to attempt to make the cost of participation revenue neutral to residents of Riverton. Those changes were temporary, though and noted by ten of eleven citizens that spoke at a public hearing in October, 2011.

Adam Anderson made a comment about the lack of local control over spending. In the minutes recorded at the 2011 public hearing it states that “Mr. Anderson is concerned that the property tax will increase in a few years … and no representative from Riverton will be able to protect the people of Riverton.” In addition to the proposed tax increase, the vote last year to incorporate metro townships in formerly unincorporated SL County will add 6 more board members to SLVLESA in January of 2017 and therefore less representation for Riverton.

Paul Waymann, another resident at the hearing, was also heard. The minutes read:  “Paul Waymann: Concerned that Riverton will not be represented properly with only one elected official on the Service Area Board. If not enough funds are collected, does the Police protection in Riverton go down? … Mr. Waymann asked how Residents could protest the Annexation.” The city moved forward with the agreement and the tax increase foretold by local residents is coming to fruition. Additionally, the disparate need of some areas and the heavy contribution from Riverton’s property taxes does mean that with the city increasing in population, the number of officers for Riverton may not be at the standard local officials feel is appropriate in the near future. Earlier this month, Councilman Sheldon Stewart of District 1 was quoted as saying, “When I first joined the city council, we were targeting 1 officer per 1,000 residents, and we are still not at 1 officer per 1,000.” Currently, Riverton has .8 officers per thousand residents, while the county has 1.14, a forty percent difference.

As a UPD board member and SLVLESA board trustee, it’s been an interesting conversation for Staggs who says “Riverton is supplementing the county and it doesn’t make sense for us anymore. With the Kennecott landslide that decreased annual tax contributions from Rio Tinto by millions of dollars over the last few years, this has pushed more of the financial burden of the service area on our residents. We need to be more efficient and accountable with our spending and withdrawing from SLVLESA will accomplish that.”  Staggs also notes that this doesn’t mean withdrawal from UPD services, it will just change how the services are managed and paid for.

As Staggs asked publicly in August of this year, “The question is rather simple: Would you rather have [SLVLESA] continue to drive policy, budgets, service levels and tax increases; or, would you rather have the accountability and control brought back to Riverton elected officials?”

The decision will impact local budgets, taxes and police services for years to come. Residents are encouraged to contact local representatives for additional information and to voice their opinions via social media.