Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Tax 0 2 Percent topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Weber County advances first reading of 0.2% sales-and-use tax to fund transportation and public safety
Summary
County staff told commissioners on June 23 that a proposed 0.2% local sales-and-use tax — enabled by a recent statutory change for counties of the second class — would fund transportation, a guaranteed share to cities, and a flexible county portion that may be used for transportation or public safety; the commission approved the ordinance's first reading.
The Weber County Commission on June 23 approved the first reading of an ordinance to adopt a 0.2% local sales-and-use tax intended to provide additional funding for transportation, public safety and other lawful county purposes.
Courtland Erickson, speaking for county staff, said the proposal is for "a point a 0.2% sales and use tax on general sales and use tax transactions within Weber County," and noted the legislature recently amended state law to let counties of the second class use part of such collections for public safety in addition to transportation. Erickson explained the statute divides collections so that a portion will go to cities, a portion to transportation, and a portion to the county that can be used for either transportation or public safety.
Stephanie Russell, who said county staff worked closely with Davis County, the Wasatch Front Regional Council and legislators during the law change, described the statutory amendment as a regional effort to address growth and the county’s need to fund law enforcement, emergency response and infrastructure without increasing property taxes. "We were able to work very closely with our regional partners ... to make sure language went into the bill that's going to benefit Weber County," Russell said.
Commissioners discussed the proposal briefly, including confirmation that this is a sales-and-use tax rather than a property tax. Commissioner Harris moved to approve the first reading of the ordinance; the motion was seconded and passed by vote. The commission completed only the first reading on June 23; the staff presentation noted the statutory framework and described how the revenue would be allocated but did not set final allocation percentages in the ordinance during this session.
