A windfall by most standards, an anticipated 17 percent increase in City Hall revenues for the approaching fiscal year won't be enough to do what Mayor Elaine Redd says needs to be done.
"We're growing so rapidly and our commercial and retail is just not keeping up with residential," said Redd. "As everyone knows, residential development doesn't pay its way . . . I'm concerned about roads, schools, police."Our fire engine is absolutely obsolete."
The new money - enough to increase the budget by almost $400,000 to $2.74 million next year - comes mostly from a $1,200 impact fee the city this year started collecting on every new house that goes up in Draper.
The proceeds are supposed to go almost exclusively for roads and fire protection.
The once-sleepy farm town almost overnight has become a bedroom community for cities to the north and is destined to grow even more. Developers last year announced plans for two vast new subdivisions that could double the population of the 7,500-resident city by the late 1990s.
Traffic is chief among Redd's worries.
"It's just becoming a problem of the magnitude I never thought we'd see in Draper."
The fiscal 1994-95 budget reflects the concern, with an increase of about one-third in spending for public works. Draper in the coming year will put about $400,000 into the department, erecting stoplights and resurfacing some major streets.
New semaphores will go up on 12300 South at 300 East and 900 East, and major portions of 1300 East and Minuteman Drive are scheduled for improvements.
Police expansions are also planned. Draper, which contracts with the Salt Lake County sheriff's office, will add a daily eight-hour police shift at an annual cost of about $120,000. The fire department's budget also will increase by a third, to $188,000.
A full-time engineer and a full-time code-enforcement officer will put on the city's payroll. More hours will be added to crossing-guard services and animal control. Parks, traffic court and administration will see slight budget increases.
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Additional Information
Budget
DRAPER
General funds: $2,743,003
1994-95
General funds: $2,349,098
Where it comes from:
Property tax: $230,000
Last year: $220,028
Sales tax: $800,000
Last year: $769,500
Other taxes: $349, 500
Last year: $317,422
Licenses and permits: $603,550
Last year: $305,800
Intergovern. transfers: $160,100
Last year: $220,582
Charges for services: $ 1,170
Last year: $ 0
Fines & Forfeitures: $80,000
Last year: $80,000
Miscellaneous: $112,632
Last year: $108,610
Contrib. from fund balance: $406,051
Last year: $299,754
Contrib. from flood control: $ 0
Last year: $27,402
Where it goes:
City manager: $109,662
Last year: $ 94,580
Law enforcement services: $421,087
Last year: $299,148
Community development: $144,552
Last year: $181,861
Public works: $394,178
Last year: $298,328
Parks department: $ 42,820
Last year: $ 37,391
Draper Days celebration: $ 42,050
Last year: $ 34,740
Transfers: $261,607
Last year: $415,123
Tax/fee increases:
$1,200 impact fee on every new house