"Nothing was a violation of the state laws. The Youth Council, which sponsored the float, didn't put any city funds into it. Even the driver, a city employee, was a volunteer and helped out of his own accord, not the city's," Hardy said.

The second issue from both tax associations is a Bountiful city newsletter sent out in May 2004 containing an article by Bountiful Mayor Joe Johnson urging voters to approve the proposed recreation center. The letter was printed and mailed at taxpayer expense in violation of the same law that the float violated, the protesters said.

"I don't think we're in a position to tell them what to do, but we want them to explain to the public their reasons for taking advantage of their position," Mortensen said.

Hardy, however, says the mayor did nothing wrong. The city attorney agrees that the newsletter was legal.

"First of all, the election had not been called yet and the district had not been formed. You can't tell me that he doesn't have the right to show how he feels about something," Hardy said. "It amounts to a sour grapes deal. Some people are just trying to make any allegations they can to get those who support the recreation center to look bad."