Your editorial of Oct. 20 in support of County Proposal No. 1 was both inaccurate and a disservice to the voters of Salt Lake County. Nowhere did you mention the $200 million price tag associated with the proposal.
The so-called recreation tax, which is really a new art tax, will take about $200 million over 10 years from Salt Lake County taxpayers and distribute it roughly as follows: $104 million for big art, $25 million for the zoo, $10 million for little art and $60 million for "recreational facilities."The $104 million for big art represents a "dedicated" entitlement. They spend the money as they see fit without input or oversight from the taxpayers or local government. Even worse, the groups are not even required to show need for the money.
The $10 million for little art and the $60 million for recreational facilities will be spent as deemed appropriate by the Salt Lake County Commission. There is no actual guarantee that any of the alleged recreation money will even be spent on parks. Under the definition of recreational facility, the Salt Lake County Commission could spend the money on "any publicly owned or operated recreational facility" including Symphony Hall, the Salt Palace, Capitol Theatre and some Olympic venues. If the proponents of the tax really cared about parks they would have provided for dedicated funding for parks. As the tax now stands, the only money that is dedicated is the money for large art groups and the zoo.
If the public wants parks, we should pay for parks only and not be required to pay for elite art functions as a precondition.
We encourage all eligible residents to vote on Nov. 5 and to vote no on County Proposal No. 1.
Robert B. Breeze
Citizens Against Tax Subsidies for the Rich
Salt Lake City