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Committee endorses local sales‑tax option to help fund EMS in tourist counties
Summary
The committee substituted and unanimously approved Senate Bill 67, allowing certain counties and local governments to adopt a local sales tax to finance emergency medical services where tourism drives transient call volume.
Senator Owens presented Senate Bill 67, a measure the committee has considered in prior sessions, to permit some counties to adopt a local option sales tax to fund emergency medical services (EMS) in areas with heavy tourism and transient call volume.
Local elected officials and fire district leaders from southern Utah described the problem in detail. Bill Hoster, mayor of Leeds and board chair of Hurricane Valley Fire Special Service District, told the committee tourists vastly outnumber permanent residents in parts of Washington County and place a disproportionate burden on local EMS. Hurricane Valley Fire Chief Joe Decker said 28.9% of the district's calls are transient; one station reported 92% of its call volume comes from non‑residents.
St. George Public Affairs Director Sean Guzman and Washington City legislative affairs director Jordan Hess said their cities are at or near local sales‑tax capacity and have not raised property taxes in decades; they supported the bill as a tool that lets communities ask visitors to help pay for services. The Rural EMS Directors Association also testified in favor.
The first substitute includes a tiered authorization: a local governing body may adopt a smaller increment (0.33%) directly, while a countywide ballot measure would allow up to 1% with voter approval. Witnesses said local boards that adopt the tax intend to reduce property tax levies as part of implementation; some local representatives asked for language to require offsets and the sponsor indicated willingness to discuss that further.
The committee voted to adopt a first substitute and then to recommend SB 67 favorably to the Senate. Both the substitute and the final committee recommendation passed unanimously (5–0). Sponsors said the measure is aimed at counties that host heavy tourism and where visitors generate a large share of EMS demand.
Why it matters: SB 67 creates a mechanism for communities with high transient demand to share EMS costs with visitors through a local sales‑tax option, rather than placing the entire burden on local property taxpayers. Local officials argued the change addresses service sustainability where visitors significantly outnumber residents.
Votes at a glance: - Motion: Adopt first substitute SB 67 — Passed unanimously (5–0) - Motion: Recommend favorably SD 67 (first substitute) to the Senate — Passed unanimously (5–0)
