Trash is going to be more expensive next year, according to a tentative budget under consideration by the City Council.
The fiscal year 1997-98 budget proposes a 75-cent increase in monthly garbage collection fees. The city has been losing $10,000-$15,000 per year in the garbage fund.Two years ago the city raised garbage fees from $11.75 to $13.25, reflecting a change in the way Wasatch Energy Systems (the Davis County burn plant) assesses fees.
This year the City Council rejected a request by its contracted garbage collection company, BFI, to raise its own rates, though those rates will likely go up next year, with the possibility of an additional pass-through fee hike to residents.
City officials continue to ponder whether to impose franchise taxes in addition to the nominal 3 percent franchise tax on cable television. West Bountiful is one of only a few Utah cities that does not impose taxes on such things as electricity.
The City Council has been kicking around the idea of a utilities franchise tax for quite a while now, though it doesn't appear likely to make a decision any time soon on the matter.
"They've talked a lot about it," said city financial services manager Brian Passey. "There are varying levels of support."
A new franchise tax would fund such things as a new city hall, which officials have discussed and designed and planned for years but so far have done nothing as far as actual building.
West Bountiful taxpayers continue to subsidize the Lakeside Golf Course to the tune of a budgeted $186,000 next year.
The golf course will likely become self-sustaining six to eight years from now when a portion of its debt is paid off, and it has the ability to bring significant funds into city coffers down the road.
"In the long run it's a wonderful investment, but in the short term there is some pain," Passey said.
Overall, the city's general fund will decrease $400,000 in 1997-98 - a 20 percent drop - because of the completed 1100 West reconstruction funded with $505,000 in bond proceeds last year. The reconstruction was a controversial one, with residents wanting the new street to be as narrow as possible to discourage speeders and engineers wanting it to be as wide as possible for safety reasons.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Budget - West Bountiful
General fund: $1,680,568
1997-98
General fund: $2,098,747
1996-97
Where it comes from:
Property tax: $254,400
Last year: $240,000
Sales tax: $765,500
Last year: $730,000
Franchise tax: $4,500
Last year: $4,300
Fines & forfeitures: $185,000
Last year: $175,000
Bond proceeds: $0
Last year: $505,000
Where it goes:
Police: $353,590
Last year: $345,544
Court: $124,652
Last year: $120,655
Streets: $226,866
Last year: $848,665
Fire protection: $146,000
Last year: $140,313
Administration: $188,884
Last year: $191,068
Tax/fee increases:
Garbage - 75 cents monthly increase for one can. A new utility franchise tax is under consideration.