H.B. 565 City Library Property Tax Amendments: transcript

Uh, Representative Stoddard, the time is yours to present HB 5 65 City Library Property Tax Amendments. Thank you Mr. Chair Committee. And I apologize for my tardiness. Um, I'm a charge to drop off and just gotta the capitol and ran up here. So if I'm outta breath, that is why, because I'm also outta shape. So, uh, this is a simple bill. It was brought to me by Murray City. So they had an issue where their tax notices went out and people saw a large tax increase or what looked like a tar large tax increase. And the reason is, is there were some recent changes in law that made it so that the county auditor in Salt Lake County listed the library tax levy along with property taxes and put them in one lump sum. So it looked like a large increase when in reality it wasn't. So this bill just states that in a county of the first class, that those are listed separately so people can get an accurate description of where their taxes are going. And that's it. I'm open to any questions.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, representative, are there other cities that have experienced this complication? I feel like that's a self-serving question. Yeah.

As far as I know, it's Salt Lake City and Murray are the ones that have libraries that have had the same issue.

Yeah. Thank you. I just wanted to clarify that my own city contacted me about the same issue, and I appreciate you tackling it so that it gets taken care of across the board. And, sorry, I meant to state this is, this is talking to for substitute And I would never do anything self-serving.

I think y'all know the drill. Richard Yasi, chief Deputy Auditor, Salt Lake County. We're very supportive of this bill. We appreciate this clarification. Um, to, to go back to the, the standard practice that existed before and clarifying that we can distinguish the library levee. So we're very supportive and grateful for this.

Billy Hesterman with the Utah Taxpayers Association also wanna speak in favor of the legislation. Uh, we think this will add additional transparency to the levees and to the notice to make sure everyone understands where their money is going. So that's why we're supportive of it. Thank you.

Wasn't going to, but I thought I better. Um, Corey Holdaway representing Murray City, we just wanna thank the representative for bringing this forward. Uh, we think this is just, uh, uh, illustrates or, or illuminates, uh, the clarifies put it out and it's early today, clarifies the, uh, the tax policy as far as, uh, this goes and ask you to support it. Thank you.

Representative Provo. Thank You Mr. Chair. I'd like to make a motion to move for substitute house Bill 5 65.

Said. If I may, Mr. Chair? Yes.

I'd like to make a motion to pass out favorably first substitute House bill 5 65 City Library Property Tax Amendments.

Mr. Chair, if it's appropriate, I'd like to make a motion to place this on consent. You can try. Doesn't have a fiscal note. So I would like to make a motion to place a house Bill 5 65 for substitute City Library Property Amendment tax amendments on con on the consent calendar, Even though the sponsor was late.

I don't, uh, the substitute just had some additional language requested by, um, it was, uh, from John Valentine requested it, so.

this forward, and the partners that we've had that worked on this. It's a good pill and I realize there's a couple issues with it, but I think there's room for it. And I think I would really appreciate it if you guys could give it a favorable recommendation and pass it out. So I appreciate your time today, especially this late in this session. You guys are really grinding and thanks for hearing us.

I have a question, Mr. Chair.

Um, in terms, I think that the comment about whether other funding can be utilized to draw down funds from the federal government, will that require that those are state funds?

So, in order to draw down the federal funds that you were mentioning in your presentation, does that require those to be only state funds?

I I would too assume that. Perfect. Thank you. Just, I just wanted to clarify that. 'cause I think that was part of the conversation, right? I mean, that, those matching funds are important. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Um, well, since I didn't ring in for a motion, but I guess I'll Make a motion. The chair isn't going to wait long This morning. You know, I, I, I'm gonna move to hold the bill.

Uh, I, I think it's more when a bill is held in committee so that changes can be made and then it's brought back without any changes made. I'm probably not gonna, uh, vote to move it through. And so it's, it's not there, there are some benefits to this bill. Um, you know, I had expressed some concerns with the idea that it would, uh, be changed, but then, uh, there were no changes. And so I'm probably just going to, I, I'd prefer to just hold it at this time.

So I'm, I'm disappointed with, with that motion because, uh, as I left here, I, uh, left with, uh, the thought that the committee wanted some clarification on the questions that they were, that they'd asked me. Not that we necessarily needed to change the bill, and, uh, but I appreciate, uh, what the, the good, uh, Senator is. Uh, uh, I do think that we had a question that was brought up during, uh, the discussion and public comment that I'd, uh, appreciate my, uh, co uh, uh, I think she has an answer for one of those questions. Co-presenter, co-conspirator, one of those two works out.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. This is a good bill. Okay, good. I saw some chuckles on there. Okay. Uh, this bill's actually very simple. Uh, it applies only in counties of the first class. So in Salt Lake County here, um, what happened is because of some changes we made in the law, it was listing library levees in addition to city property taxes. So, uh, homeowners got their property tax notice and looked like there was a large increase in their city property taxes causing a lot of confusion. So this just allows the county auditor to separate those. Uh, it's supported by the Taxpayers Association, the League of Cities in town, and the Salt Lake County Auditor's office. And I ask for your support. Thank you. Thank you.

Senator Kwan, Thank you very much. Uh, Mr. President, this is a bill that came to us from Salt Lake County. Uh, the tax bill, property tax Bill Uintah our residence, uh, that included city, uh, the city library tax and that, uh, made it appear as though, uh, property tax increased by a lot, but it really was the city tax that was included in what this does is it allows, uh, Salt Lake County to separate the two onto in, in the, uh, the bill. And that's what it does. Thank you.

Thank you Mr. Speaker Patam. I move that we concur with the Senate amendments.

Yes, I would. Um, and I wanna be clear that these are not Senate amendments. They are house amendments made in the Senate. It was just language that the tax commission requested about the effective date on the bill.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Uh, I wanted to announce, uh, would you like The personal Privilege? Wife, cousin? Would you like