League presenters issue action alert on SB 97, recommend support for UTA reorganization
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Summary
Presenters for the Utah League of Cities and Towns urged members to contact senators about SB 97a0and said HB 501a0was amended to limit mandates tied to funding; they also recommended shifting the Leaguea9s position on SB 197 to support after amendments requiring greater local coordination.
Presenters for the Utah League of Cities and Towns urged member cities to contact state lawmakers about a property-tax action alert and described recent amendments to several bills, including a recommendation to shift the League's position on a transit reorganization measure.
The presenters said members should act now on an action alert for SB 97, Dan McKay's property-tax bill. "If you have not contacted your senators already, please do so now," the Presenter said, urging outreach to convey city concerns about provisions that would reduce property taxes tied to a city's earned interest.
The update covered several property-tax measures that staff said are moving through the Legislature. The Presenter noted work on changes to HB 236 (Karen Peterson) and SB 238 (Chris Wilson), both of which the presenters said have passed one chamber and are on the other chamber's reading calendar.
In land use, the Presenter said SB 284, local land-use amendments from Senator Fillmore, passed the Senate and is expected to be substituted in the House after absorbing HB 477, Representative Coeffort's negotiated product from the interim land-use task force. "That bill will grow, with all the additions being consensus language as well," the Presenter said, and members were advised to watch for substituted language.
On transit governance, the presenters described changes to SB 197, a measure proposing to reorganize the Utah Transit Authority from a three-member board of trustees to a transit commission. The Presenter said HB 586 (Rep. Roberts' proposal to direct state sales-tax growth to the Transportation Trust Fund) has been folded into SB 197 and that the bill was amended to require more consultation and coordination with local governments. Because of those changes, "we're recommending going from neutral to support on this bill," the Presenter said.
On water funding, the Presenter who handled that portfolio said HB 501 passed the House after a second substitute that addressed the League's initial concerns. "It removes the mandates and is only required for municipalities seeking state and federal funding for water projects," the Presenter said, adding that the amended language clarifies that the money stays with the city.
The presenters also gave shorter updates on other measures: HB 88 (Trevor Lee's public assistance bill) was circled on the House third-reading calendar; SB 211 (tort reform) was circled on the Senate third-reading calendar; HB 596 (Steve Eliason's homelessness bill) remained in committee; and HB 507 (Cal Robert's tax-increment bill) had a second substitute on the House floor that added city-favorable language for tax increment related to data centers.
The video closed with another request that members watch for League emails and action alerts and contact their senators and representatives when asked. The presenters said the League will discuss several of these items at the League Policy Committee meeting on Monday.