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Cache COG urges county council to reconsider proposed sales-tax allocation as COG funding faces shortfall
Summary
At its meeting, the Cache County Council of Governments reported that the county council accepted a COG-backed resolution but noted the county budget shows COG requests (~$12–14 million) far exceed awards (~$7–7.5 million). Mayors were urged to contact county representatives ahead of imminent budget votes about a proposed local-option sales tax allocation.
Frank Hidalgo, mayor and COG chair, reported that the county council accepted the COG’s recommendations and passed a resolution supporting the body’s positions and funding requests.
Hidalgo said the COG’s slide deck highlighted a decade of flat or declining awards while requests have grown. "We have requests over $12–14 million and we're getting about $7–7.5 million," he said, urging members to press county representatives about the proposed allocation of a local option sales tax.
Why it matters: The county council is scheduled to review budget decisions in the coming days, and participants said the tentative budget appears to include the new sales-tax increment for transportation. Council members and staff at the COG worried that, if that revenue is diverted or reallocated, COG-funded transportation projects could face further cuts.
Members described outreach plans. Jeff Gilbert (Cache County staff) and others encouraged mayors to email and call their county representatives and to distribute the presentation slide deck used at the county council meeting. "We need to get that slide deck in front of them," a mayor said, adding the deck frames the scale of the shortfall and the tradeoffs implied by allocating new revenue elsewhere.
Participants also discussed the budget process and timing: whether the county formally includes a 0.25 or 0.30 sales-tax increment and whether passage will require a resolution, public hearing, or amendments. Several members said they will ask to be placed on the county council agenda to present COG concerns directly.
What was not decided: The COG did not vote on any change to its position. Members agreed to coordinate outreach and to share the slide deck and talking points with mayors so they can lobby county council members prior to final budget votes.
