Property taxes will be lower in Riverton next year, despite opposition from two City Council members.

The City Council passed the 5 percent tax cut by a one vote margin. Council member Thaddeus Speed said he objected to the tax cut because he felt it would be better to use the money to help increase the city's infrastructure. Vea Jean Hamilton also voted against the tax cut.Growth in Riverton is putting a strain on roads, parks, water and other services maintained by the city. Speed said he believed using the extra money to bolster those things now would benefit the city in the long run.

"Eventually we ought to be able to reduce the property tax to zero," he said, "but right now, I felt it would be better to use our resources in increasing our infrastructure."

Speed felt the city was coping with most growth-related problems well.

"I think in a lot of ways the main area that we're not keeping up is our parks and our preservation efforts," he said.

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City Administrator Craig White said all of the revenue generated through growth goes into a capital improvements fund.

"Growth could stop tomorrow and the general fund would continue as is," he said. The city was able to pay cash for a new fire engine with a price tag of nearly $200,000, he said. The city also just completed $500,000 worth of road work, replaced two bridges and set aside funds for a city park.

"The general fund has no debt," White said. Riverton's property taxes have decreased every year since 1990.

How does this affect the individual taxpayer? It probably won't make a big difference on individual property taxes, and it only cuts city revenues by $17,065.

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