Sponsored by Citizens for Proper Government
May 2, 2006 – Paid for by ‘Citizens for Proper Government’
YOUR TAXES AND FEES WILL BE GOING UP UNLESS YOU GET INVOLVED!
North Ogden residents, are you WILLING TO ASK the city council and mayor SOME TOUGH QUESTIONS? Over 10 taxes, fees or rates tentatively voted on; do not have to be raised if the NOC council would listen to the VOICE OF REASON AND THE CITIZENS!
Why have our new mayor and council members recently returned from a two day budget workshop in St. George wherein 4 out of 5 council members discussed ways to raise an additional million dollars in taxes and fees from North Ogden city residents? (i.e., water, sewer, and trash utilities rates, impact fees and property taxes)
Why councilman Huntsman proposed to reduce the budget by cutting wasteful fat and why four council members refused?
Why councilwoman Harris said-quote, “if we don’t give the fire department the raise they’re requesting then they might let my house burn.” And later on about privatizing snow removal services she said, “I see very little benefit in having staff put the time into researching this because she trusts the people to do the job they do.”
Why privatization of city garbage services saved residents money, but the extra money coming in is spent ‘managing the company Waste Management’ to do the pickup. Why the City collected $631,000 from you last year for trash pickup, but only paid Waste Management and landfill fees of $490,000. Why the city wants to raise this rate 38% this year to now collect $838,000 from you when Waste Management and landfill rates only increased to a total of $531,000. No pun intended, but isn’t NOC wasting $307,000 per year on ‘administration’?
Why the swimming pool went over budget several hundred thousand dollars and the money was taken from the general tax fund to cover it? Why is the Acres RDA loans from the general fund, water fund, and sewer fund no longer being paid back?
Why the city council approves the use of storm impact fees for project developments and not system improvements as required by state statute?
Why the city is purchasing a new $98,000 Track-hoe this year out of future water and sewer utility revenues when the city has readily available Back-hoes and little to no need for a Track-hoe?
Mayor Gary A. Harrop 782-8961, Council Member Ronald Flamm782-3411, Council Member Martha Harris 782-3068,Council Member Richard Harris 782-5640, Council Member Steven Huntsman 782-8108,Council Member Jed Musgrave 782-7712
Citizens for Proper Government is a local non-profit group of citizens dedicated to limited open and fair government and family friendly public policy that encourages personal responsibility and self reliance.
Please attend a local Q&A and information sharing Fireside to discuss these important questions at councilmember Huntsman’s home this Thursday May 4 at 7:30PM located at 1642 N. Mountain Road and discuss this with council member Huntsman: sponsored by Citizens for Proper Government. Get info and be prepared to question your favorite elected representative at their home or at the council meeting/public hearing scheduled May 9th to be held at 5:30 PM at the NOC offices. For more info on this flyer contact: Paul Mackley cell 644-8122.
See Fact Sheet on Back: Become informed today before you’re taxed to death tomorrow!
Total Revenue increase over last years (2005-2006) budget due to proposed Fee & Rate Increases:
Culinary/Drinking Water Sales.....+$110,571/+10%
Culinary/Drinking Water Impact Fees.....+$361,800/+227
Sanitary Sewer Sales.....+$35,324/+11%
Sanitary Sewer Impact Fees.....+$71,014/+646%
Storm Water Utility Sales.....+$47,984/+23%
Storm Water Impact Fees.....+$29,160/+11%
Garbage Collection Sales.....+$206,552/+38%
Building Plan Check Fees.....+$34,331/+46%
Building permit Fees.....+$27,943/+15%
Park Impact Fees.....+$107,450/+37%
Total increase from 2005-06 Budget.....+$1,032,129/+10%
Total growth in number of new homes.....+2%
In addition to the increase above the NOC General tax revenue is projected to increase by 6%. Most of this increase comes from a projected healthy 9% increase in sales tax and a 10% increase in utility revenue tax. (Your electric, natural gas, and phone utility bills went up last year and next, so the city gets the windfall.)
Property tax revenue in NOC is projected to increase 2%. The city is requesting an additional 0.6% above the state certified county rate to maintain last years tax rate despite the increases already being paid for in new growth. Fines and forfeitures are expected to increase 7% for NOC due in part to the fee increases for all citations, imposed by the State two years ago and reflecting actual citations.
Miscellaneous revenue reflects a 27% increase this coming year because interest earned for the city is increasing due to rising interest rates. NOC plans on $145,000 in interest earned on city reserves up 27%.
Seven of the Northview fire fighters earn in excess of $49,000/year when hundreds of qualified applicants turn in hiring applications willing to work for $19,000 year.
The NOC Sewer contracts with the Central Weber Sewer District (CWSD) to process our Sewer waste. CWSD has a scheduled increase of 7% or $18,000 over last year. However, notice above that NOC is proposing an 11% increase to bring in an additional $34,324 in Sewer rate utilities to the city and another $71,014 in sewer impact fee increases. Last year the city collected $597,000 in Sanitary Sewer charges and connect fees paid by you. In return NOC paid CWSD and outside sewer repair companies only $352,000 of that amount. No pun intended but the city wasted $245,000 last year and is planning to waste $530,000 this, which includes a $200,000 donation or “loan” to the water utility fund.
Water rates in Harrisville, Farr West, and PV are $7.00 - $10.00 per 7,000 gallons. NOC rates are now $16.50 for 7,000 gallons; with this year’s proposal this rate will go up to $24.10 or 3.5 times higher than surrounding cities. 7,000 gallons is the average use for small homes, retired couples and townhouses in NOC. Large homes and people with families who use 25,000 gallons/month will see their monthly rates climb at least $25.60 more plus a sewer and garbage pickup increase of $6.40; bringing a total current NOC utility bill of $69.00 up to a hard pill to swallow: $101.00.
The NOC public works department uses a $230,000 grader for snow removal along with 15 other very expensive pieces of equipment to remove snow. The grader alone depreciates in value $16,000/year for less than 100 hours of use on five or less large snow pushes per year. Privatizing snow removal in NOC could save the city upwards of $900,000 per year. NOC has decided not to privatize the P.W. dept $5M budget for several reasons including the basis that some of the employees can mow lawns in the off season if needed, 12 maintenance employees make with benefits in excess of $35,000/year. Snow removal and lawn care should be privatized as this is waste and inefficient to the tax payers of North Ogden.
