Legislature may provide alternative for UPD fee

SALT LAKE CITY — Less than a month before the first Unified Police Department bills are scheduled to be mailed to residents of unincorporated Salt Lake County, the County Council is considering Plan B.

The council is supporting proposed legislation that would give Salt Lake County the authority to raise utility franchise fees in unincorporated areas instead of issuing a special-service fee to fund UPD.

With legislative approval, the bill would create the first opportunity for a county to levy utility franchise fees, a privilege previously reserved for the state and municipal governments.

The UPD fee originally was assessed to cover a $12.6 million budget shortfall in the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office. The cost to residents, business owners, and even churches and other nonprofit groups was based on how often they called 911. Most residents would pay $15.50 a month, while businesses would pay anywhere from less than $1 to nearly $7,000 a month.

A possible solution at the state Legislature was sought after public hearings about the new UPD fees revealed that many residents would have preferred increases in property taxes or franchise taxes. The feedback came as a surprise to the County Council.

"I would argue the UPD fee is probably the most transparent thing we've done in Salt Lake County," Councilman Michael Jensen said, "but that went over like a lead balloon."

According to one county official, the bill would be specific to Salt Lake County and give permission for the county to use a utility franchise fee in the place of a special-services fee to support UPD. It would not allow the county to collect utility franchise fees for anything else.

But even if the bill passes, UPD fees still will be mailed for several months until the utility franchise fees could take effect, likely after July 1.

Unlike the UPD fee, the franchise fee wouldn't completely cover the budget deficit. To cover the remaining amount, the UPD, which receives taxing authority next year, could increase unincorporated property taxes. Residents and business owners would then see an increase in utility franchise taxes and property taxes, making them pay indirectly for the UPD instead of adding a straightforward special-services fee.

"It's just the accepted, traditional way of doing things," Jensen said.

Councilman Jim Bradley was hesitant to abandon the fee, which he said people may prefer six months from now.