After reading about Kaysville's so-called vanishing $25 million, my research found that many do not know the whole story. One may think that the money was wasted or misspent, however, Kaysville used that to help build our new city building, operations building and a new fire station. Land for parks, including the Barnes Sportsplex and the new Heritage Park were purchased.
Owning our own power company pays for many things that would otherwise require higher property taxes: street lights, recreation, power for city owned buildings and water pumps, etc. Churches, schools and renters pay for their electricity, they do not pay property taxes. To evenly distribute these costs among all who benefit is the only fair way.
Each user of electricity can lower their own power bill by using less power, you can't lower your property taxes by using less property. Kaysville's competitive power rates provide more than just electricity. These benefits are not free and the money has to come from somewhere. Proposition 5 promises lower power rates and higher property taxes. I have seen power rates adjusted down, I have never seen property tax decreased. Consider the hardships this could cause property owners, especially our senior citizens.
As stated in the Kaysville City Voter Information Pamphlet, "Let's not tie those hands that for decades have made decisions that resulted in low property taxes and low electricity rates."
Elizabeth Meacham
Kaysville