Bluffdale opts for more cutbacks rather than franchise tax

BLUFFDALE — Instead of voting to levy a tax that would have essentially cured the city's ailing budget on the spot, the City Council agreed to meet in a special session next week to discuss more areas to cut back.

Despite the encouragement of city manager Mark Reid, the council voted down a franchise tax that would have cost each of about 2,200 power and gas users in the city 6 percent more on their energy bills, about $14 more a month, on average.

The special budget session is scheduled for 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Bluffdale fire station, 14175 S. Redwood Road.

"I don't want it to be like, 'Lets just tax the citizens and move on,' " said Councilman Bill Maxwell, who encouraged the council to wait on a vote and find more "creative" ways to trim the budget.

Reid had already pruned the budget by cutting special-event funding for occasions such as a Christmas party and Town Days, as well as equipment such as a tractor and a four-wheeler.

But revenue projections for the proposed 2009-10 budget, which takes effect July 1, still come in around $250,000 shy of what the city projects it will need. Untouched, the proposed budget would put the city about 3 percent in the red.

Three of the five council members — Maxwell, Nancy Lord and Rod Flanigan — weren't impressed with Reid's suggested reductions and want to explore additional spending-reduction options in the next week.

If the council decides to adopt the franchise tax, it would take 90 days for the city to implement. Bluffdale and Cottonwood Heights are the only Salt Lake County cities that do not levy a franchise tax on power and natural-gas utilities.

— Jacob Hancock