Yesterday, I received an email from a resident of Eagle Mountain which contained someone else's viewpoint of the proposed aquatic center. In reading through it, some of it made sense but I took issue with a few points because it seemed half-baked and incomplete. I've included the originator's email as I received it below with my comments inline.
In this day and age, it is easy to find a constituency that wants government to provide a benefit to their special interest at the expense of their fellow taxpaying citizens. We don't have to let this happen in Eagle Mountain. Just because we can force our neighbors to pay for our luxuries, doesn't mean we should.
That was...dramatic. Did anyone think about what I wanted when they voted Senator Obama in as president? No. The additional tax that would be incurred would be about $5-$6 a month on a $200,000 home. For me, I feel this would be a good investment. For others, maybe that's too much. That's why it's put to a vote to see what the majority (of voters) is willing to do with their community.
Now is not the time for city government to borrow several million dollars and increase property taxes by two-thirds for an outdoor pool/splash park, in one of the windiest cities in the state, that will be open only three months of the year and is not within walking distance for any city resident.
Actually, I question whether or not this is her opinion or an actual fact. While Eagle Mountain can be windy at times, I don't think it's fair to say it's one of the windiest cities in the state. How does she know this? For me, her claim is unfounded. I want more proof than that. Also, I called the city recorder about this. The plans are to have this open from about mid May to mid October. That's potentially 5 months, weather permitting. And as far as it being within walking distance, well, her claim is flat out false. I see so many people who walk and run the trail up to Unity Pass and back. I've even run it. I've seen parents with their children ride bikes along the path. So, I'd say that it's definitely within walking distance.
The Referendum 1 bond debt pays for construction only. All residents must pay off the bond debt through increased property taxes. The relatively few who use the pool must also pay admission fees, etc. for operational costs. Operational losses will be subsidized out of the city's general fund, most of which comes from the markups we all pay on city owned utilities.
Wait a second. During my call to the city recorder, I found out that they figure for the time during the year when it will be open and operational, they feel they can easily break even regarding maintenance costs. The operation of the facility would not continue to be a financial burden on the community. Plus, as members of the community, we would get access to the facilities at a discounted rate. So from what I can tell, it looks like we won't incur additional costs (taxes) for this aquatic center. That's a good thing.
Should Referendum 1 pass, Eagle Mountain residents, their children and grandchildren will be forced to pay somewhere around $11-15 million over somewhere around a 20-25 year period to pay off the funds borrowed for a pool. (Given the typical lifespan of swimming pools the facility may well need to be replaced, before it is paid off.)
Hmm. The voter information pamphlet says $7 million, not $11-$15.
It does not inspire confidence in city government that ten days before the vote Eagle Mountain city is not forthcoming about exactly how much Referendum 1 debt will cost or how long debt repayment will take. We need to know all the facts BEFORE we vote
What we do know is that the amount of property taxes each household pays to service bonded debt is based on property values and city growth. At the same time Eagle Mountain residents are being asked to vote themselves millions of dollars further into debt, home values are plummeting and the City's growth rate has all but stopped. Perhaps this is why the city has not disclosed basic information about the pool debt repayment.
I call bull crap. The property values have already sunk. However, Utah's economy is the best in the nation. More and more jobs are coming here, particularly to northern Utah County. The NSA (National Security Agency) is building a facility out near Camp Williams. That facility will employ around 200 employees. Adobe is building a campus in Lehi and will employ about 1500 people there. We need things to help attract future home buyers to this area. Such an aquatic facility, coupled with the soccer fields, the new baseball fields and the golf course that all already exist out here will certainly make Eagle Mountain an attractive and desirable place to live. But if we don't invest in our community to improve it and make it more enjoyable, what would bring others out here?
While cities across the state are not growing as they once were, the drop in Eagle Mountain's growth rate is staggering. Throughout most of the last decade, Eagle Mountain was the first or second fastest growing city in the entire state. From 2008-2009, however, according to the Governor's Office of Economic Development, Eagle Mountain not only dropped completely out of the top state rankings, but now 14 cities in Utah county alone enjoy a better growth rate than Eagle Mountain. In the last few years, Eagle Mountain has lost its competitive advantage and is failing to attract new construction and new residents.
With the financial strain that so many are experiencing, dramatic increases in debt and property taxes for a luxury like a splash park are inappropriate. Even if you think you can afford a 67% city tax increase, can your neighbors? Is it a kind thing to force your desire for a pool onto your friends who may not be doing as well as you?
Again, your numbers don't add up. Unless you can provide greater, more concrete details to support these figures, I'm going with the ones put forth by the people who have studied this out. This is just a proposition to the residents. When the voter information was mailed out, they were not trying to sell us on it. It was strictly INFORMATION.
Perhaps when we have put our house in order we can afford to pay for such luxuries with money set aside through pro growth, pro business policies and prudent financial management. Until that time the responsible and principled thing to do is vote NO on Eagle Mountain City's Referendum 1.
Election Day is Nov 2. Please send this on to your friends and family in Eagle Mountain who would have an interest.
There. That's what I think. I found out a little more information about this that I'd like to share. With regards to having it covered, they do have plans to cover it at a later date so that it can be operational year-round. They didn't include that in this proposal at this time because they felt like it would be too much to ask the community to pay for at this time. Furthermore, there are plans to build an entire recreation center around this. It's just a matter of time and money and the community's vote.
Another thing that she completely left out of her argument was that of the overall health benefits of such a place. I have had a membership to the Lehi recreation center and when I went, their pool was put to good use. So many people from their community (and surrounding communities) came to it and used it, like schools and scout troops. I think a lot of people would get more exercise if we had a pool to go to. There are so many benefits to it that I think they outweigh the cons.
Anyway, this lengthy post was intended to inform you of the other side of the coin. If you have any additional information, please feel free to post it. I'd be interested to hear what you think. Just remember to be nice about it or I'll moderate your comment. :)
