Tooele voters approve an arts 'n' parks tax

Tooele has become the first Utah city to enact its own arts and recreation tax.

The city's proposed PAR (parks, arts and recreation) won about 57 percent approval Tuesday.

City leaders proposed the one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax after Tooele County commissioners voted against proposing a countywide PAR tax. A new Utah law allows any city to implement an arts and recreation tax, an option previously open only to counties.

Counties still have the first shot at approving such a tax. But should a county decide not to do so, individual cities within that county can have a go at it. Tooele is the first city that has asked residents to approve a PAR tax.

Salt Lake County already has a ZAP (zoo, arts and parks) tax. Utah County residents last year voted against a PAR tax. Residents of Davis and Weber counties voted on similar taxes Tuesday, both for one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax increases. Davis County's lost, with 59 percent of voters rejecting the proposal. Weber County's was ahead with just slightly more than 50 percent Wednesday evening, with four precincts still unaccounted for.

Tooele Mayor Charlie Roberts has said the first priority for the tax would be work on a park planned for northeast Tooele, the area of the city that has seen the most growth in recent years.

The money could also be used for other parks and arts funding in the city, at the City Council's discretion. Council members could devote some of the PAR revenue to nonprofit cultural arts groups' events.

The tax increase would boost sales tax in the city from 6.25 percent to 6.35 percent. It is expected to bring in about $300,000 a year.

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