David Smith 5/13/07 Letter

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Recently, the Standard-Examiner ran a story saying Mayor Godfrey was formulating a plan to pay off the city's general obligation debt in nine years (May 2 news story, "Ogden mayor offers budget of $106M").

The figure Godfrey mentioned was $20 million of debt.

However, city documents show that in 2005 the total city debt was actually almost three times that amount, or $56 million. And, from 2005 to 2006, city debt ballooned to $93 million, an increase of 66 percent in just one year.

And this debt does not include the final costs of the recreation center, which won't be available until after completion.

Some in the Godfrey administration have used sophistries, saying the new debt will be paid for by various means other than by taxpayers, or that it is not really debt at all.

And yet, in the past year, some city buildings were pledged to assure repayment of the ballooning debt. It appears that the lenders intend for this debt to be paid by Ogden city, one way or another.

Still others will claim such matters are beyond the grasp of the public. Yet, these figures are available for all to see, in the city's well-compiled public records.

Much of this debt was incurred literally, to pay people and companies to move to Ogden, even though the vast majority of people and businesses get along without this corporate welfare.

I disagree with this debt, and the policies behind it.

David Smith
Ogden