Several HPME members attended the Cache County property tax public meeting on Nov 10. Thanks to those that attended. Before I give a report of the meeting I would like to take a moment and thank the men and women that serve our association on the Board of Trustees, The administrative staff, and those that serve by taking a assignment in our Work Credit Program.
After attending the public hearing I realized how great it is to have a system where everyone can contribute for our common good. The STP Gang (same ten people) is no longer. It is now the SFP Gang (same fifty people). I feel that for the first year of this program it was a great success.
Despite a few bumps in the road the program has united our association, we have found new friends, and our mountain is more beautiful that ever. To those that did not participate in the Work Credit Program this year your chance to sign up is quickly approaching. Sign up begins Jan 1 2016. Thanks again for your work!
Now about the public hearing. If you did not look closely at your Cache County tax notice you may have missed a new line item called MUNICIPAL SERVICES TYPE FUND. This is a new property tax that is being adopted for 2016 by the county to tax properties that are located outside of a city jurisdictions. The tax is to pay for services that cities provide that property owners in the unincorporated county do not get. Go figure that out! As far as I could gather, the commission has no idea what they will provide with the tax but rest assured that your part of the services will be similar to what you get now, NOTHING. Speaking for all of you, I was able to address the council. I expressed my (and I assume yours also) displeasure of an additional slap in the face by the implementation of yet another tax burden that we receive next to nothing in return. I may sound a bit enraged about this, because I am. I hope that you are also. We must do whatever possible to stop this tax before it is implemented. I encourage you to all write your representative Gordon A Zilles. To do this go to hpme.org, click on the cache county icon, click on the county council, click on email Gordon A Zilles then complete the email. If you would like to use a prepared message to Mr Zilles open the downloads on the hpme.org, copy and paste the message into the message box. If anyone has friends with property in our area please share this with them. We have got to stop setting on our hands and strike back.
Sincerely
Farrel Lewis
HPME president
PS
Funny Almost Facts
- Our property tax is bases on 100% of accessed value because they can only be occupied 180 days each year.(this is fact)
- We get to pay higher taxes because it cost more to bus our kids to school
- The cost of maintaining and plowing our roads is higher
- Sewers cost more up their
- Police and fire departments have a long way to driver to respond. (This would be fact if we ever used them)
- The dog catcher has a hard time in all that open space.
- Clean water is expensive
