Doug Robinson: Orem tax feud is about city sneaking up on taxpayers

Andersen says the City Council met again in June and voted 6-1 for an $8.08 monthly increase in property taxes, with Andersen the lone dissenter. Says Andersen, "What they didn't tell people is that the payment to UTOPIA would increase 2 percent per year, from $2.8 million this year to $4.9 million in 2040, which means they'll have to continue to raise taxes. They decided, we can't sell the whole thing, so let's give them a little to start with, then come back in a few years and get more. They knew the public couldn't swallow the whole pill."

A little at a time.

On Aug. 14, some 600 people jammed a City Council meeting on this issue, and about 200 of them were still there when it ended at 2:30 a.m. The council voted on a $4.04 a month tax increase — another marketing ploy.

"They'll have to come back for more," says Andersen. "They were just trying to make it more palatable."

What began as a $10 increase became an $8 increase and then a $4 increase.

Andersen voted against it. "I want the citizens to vote on it," he says.

Last December, even before he officially took office, Andersen sent an email and a pie to council members trying to persuade them to let citizens vote on the issue. In the end, he had to resort to something more officious to make it happen: He and friend Wayne Burr organized the referendum. Finally, people will have a say about that $4.

Email: drob@desnews.com