By Kelly Hafen

PROVIDENCE -- Guidelines for the Cache County Council in reference to the distribution of the Recreation, Arts, Parks, Zoo Tax were discussed Tuesday night by the City Council.

The County Council is encouraged by the Mayors' Association to adopt new guidelines for the distribution of the RAPZ Tax, Mayor Alma Leonhardt says. He says the original consensus of the County Council was a 45 percent tax on recreation, 45 percent on arts and 10 percent on zoos.

"This tax has to be distributed through the County Council," says City Recorder Skarlet Bankhead.

The concern of the council was that the smaller cities would not get enough representation for the tax because it will be based on population rather than application. The Mayors' Association had the same apprehension, Leonhardt says.

"We as mayors are concerned," Leonhardt says.

The smaller communities will probably fare with $5,000, Leonhardt says. They can't do much with that. The cities may be able to save the money for two or three years to use in vital projects, he says. The total tax revenues will amount close to $1 million. Councilman Vic Saunders says Logan is going to get the most money.

In deciding to send the proposal to the county, only one mayor was against it, says Leonhardt. This way the county will be able to represent all areas without a bias.

Councilman Dennis Nelson says the community needs to voice its opinions and should be a part of the council's decision. The total control for the disbursement of these funds should not be in the hands of just the County Council, he says.

"We don't have a county individual who can make good decisions," says Nelson. "That's my own opinion."

City Manager Vern Keeslar says the community must attend the county meeting on Nov. 18 if they are concerned about the distribution of RAPZ.

"The Mayors' Association sends a strong message that the County Council may be wrong," says Keeslar.

MS
MS