Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Government Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House approves tax‑shift language for Salt Lake County; several bills pass in single session
Summary
The Utah House passed second substitute Senate Bill 168, advancing a tax‑shift measure tied to services in Salt Lake County and spreading intent language to limit the bill’s application to first‑class counties; the chamber also approved several other measures (SGR13, SB276, HB314 and additional concurrence votes) on Feb. 28, 2001.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah House on Feb. 28 approved Second Substitute Senate Bill 168, a measure addressing how certain municipal‑type services funded from county general funds would be shifted to cities. Floor debate focused on whether the legislature was being asked to referee a county‑level dispute and on fairness for residents who pay both municipal and county taxes.
A speaker described Salt Lake County as ‘‘in a unique situation’’ with ‘‘over almost 200,000 people that are serviced from the county in what’s called the municipal services’’ and said the bill would require some taxes currently funded from county general funds to be shifted to cities. The speaker also cited negotiated cost estimates, saying the original estimate was ‘‘almost over $12,000,000’’ and that, after negotiations, figures of about ‘‘9.1, 9.2’’ million were discussed.
Republican legislators from outlying counties sought intent language to clarify that passage of SB168 should not be read as applying the bill’s concepts to counties other than first‑class counties. Representative Peterson offered intent language to be spread on the journal; a substitute motion to delete the limiting sentence failed, and the original intent language under Representative Peterson’s name was spread on the journal.
Other floor action and quick votes of Feb. 28 included:
- SGR 13 (film commission resolution): adopted, 71–0. Representative Allen, who introduced the resolution, said it would help the state compete for film and television projects by offering state property for filming and other incentives.
- First Substitute Senate Bill 276 (workers’ compensation coverage for public safety workers during the Olympics): explained by Representative Dyer and passed on a recorded vote of 72–0.
- The House concurred with Senate amendments to several bills on the calendar (for example, House Bill 370 — hazardous waste amendment — where the perpetual fund amount was increased to $400,000; the motion to concur passed and the bill passed the House 54–15). Several additional bills were read and transmitted for signatures during the floor session.
Procedural motions moved the floor along — including calls of the previous question to cut off debate — and clerks announced recorded votes and referrals to the Senate or signatures as required. The body recessed briefly during the session while members accessed bill copies and handled floor logistics.
Next steps: SB168 will be referred back to the Senate for further consideration; sponsors and staff indicated they would reconcile intent and appropriation language to avoid double funding of related efforts.
