Jail bond is sole tax bite Davis voters OK

FARMINGTON — A record number of Davis County voters approved money for a new jail but refused to bond for a new library and a new swimming pool in Kaysville.

The county's proposed $24.8 million jail bond issue was the only tax increase voters approved. Rawlings noted it was the only issue the Utah Taxpayers Association and the local Citizens for Tax Fairness didn't oppose.

Just under 80 percent of the county's eligible voters — 110,000 — went to the pools. The previous record turnout was 84,497 in 1992, said Clerk/Auditor Steve Rawlings said.

A big turnout was expected in light of the county registering about 21,000 new voters in the six weeks prior to Nov. 2.

Kaysville's two general obligation bond issues were defeated as was the proposed sales tax increase to underwrite a county wide recreation, arts and parks measure.

The so-called RAP tax would have added 1/10 of 1 percent to the county sales tax to fund arts organizations, recreation activities and facilities and parks. Rawlings estimated it would have brought in $3.2 million per year. The funds would have been divided 55 percent for the arts and 45 percent for recreations.

"Looking at the Salt Lake County ZAP tax may have made the Davis County RAP people overconfident, thinking Davis County voters would automatically support it," said Mike Jerman, vice president of the Utah Taxpayers Association.

With 59 percent of the voters rejecting the RAP tax, Jerman said it will continue to be hard for supporters to get the measure passed. "Keep in mind the county is going to raise taxes in a couple of years for operation and maintenance of the new jail."

Bruce Allen, chairman of the Kaysville Library Board, said it's too early to tell what direction his board will take in light of the defeat. But he called a meeting of the board Wednesday night to discuss the matter.

Jerman said the association sent e-mails to its Kaysville members urging them to vote against the $3.5 million pool bond but took no position on the library bond.

"We had a hunch those issues would fail anyway," he said, noting tax increases in Davis County the past two years and a 24 percent increase in the county's share of the property tax. There was a school district tax increase this summer as well as an $18 million bond to build a recreation center in Bountiful.

"There were too many tax issues on the ballot," Jerman said.

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