Orem wants a piece of the $300,000 restaurant tax pie if there's a slice available.
In action taken Tuesday night, the Orem City Council voted to submit a request for a share of any money left over after the 1 percent tax approved by the Utah County Commission under a 1991 Utah law is collected and used to pay the interest on a $7.7 million bond floated for the Special Events Center at Utah Valley State College.Mayor Stella Welsh explained that when mayors within the county voted to support the Special Events Center with the tax (enabled under House Bill 438), it was with the understanding that any excess would be available to cities for enhancing or providing summer and tourist activities.
"The situation is unclear as to whether there will be any excess or if the county commission will change its mind," said Welsh. "But we ought to have a request in just in case."
Utah County Commissioner Gary Herbert said he is proposing the anticipated excess be shared with the cities in the county.
He said not all commissioners agree with that plan but forms for requests have been mailed to every city and an advisory committee has been pulled together to review them as they come back.
"We'll be getting together the first week in June to prioritize the recommendations, and those will then go to county commission meeting for a vote before the public as to what we do," said Herbert.
"It's really a matter of us seeing how much we can free up," he said.
Money collected from the tax goes first toward paying $750,000 in debt service for the bonds for the center, to help support the county fair and maintain some county parks.
The county is a little ahead on it's debt for the Special Events Center with $1.7 million paid off and the loan term shortened to 10 years from the previous 15-20 years.
"We feel we've been responsible there," said Herbert, "but because of growth, we have a little excess that could be available to smaller cities and cities that don't see the immediate impacts of the center."
Orem's request is for $5,000-$50,000 in matching grants for a variety of recreational and cultural events, specifically involving the Summerfest parade and community activities, the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival and the city's recreational programs.
All council members supported the request.