Hyde
Park council hears arguments for and against Prop. 1
By Brittny
Goodsell Jones
October 27, 2008 | HYDE PARK - Let the battle begin.
Arguments were made for and against Proposition 1 at
a City Council Wednesday by two Cache Valley citizens.
The proposition asks residents of Cache county cities
and towns to pay about $16 more in taxes beginning next
year. The goal is to reach $10 million and the money
will be used to conserve specific plots of land in Cache
Valley.
Dave Rayfield argued for Proposition 1 during the
meeting. Money needs to be raised, he said, for such
an important part of preservation. Approving Proposition
1 will preserve the local heritage something that
all citizens can take advantage of in the long run.
"It's the worst time ever to do a property tax hike
but we've got to do it," Rayfield said. "It's now or
never."
]Different entities contribute different amounts of
money to the preservation; the city of Hyde Park is
just one of many entities. But the organizations that
have conserved other areas throughout the state are
hesitant to put money into Cache Valley because, Rayfield
said, this area has yet to even step up to the plate.
The valley has waited years to do this and time is running
out, he said.
David James argued against Proposition 1. It's easy
to look at the proposition and say it's a bad time in
terms of taxes, he said, but it just isn't taxes. James
said his biggest concern about Proposition 1 is that
it's a "shell game," where the taxpayer won't really
win. If $10 million is raised and used towards conserving
land, then where will more money be raised when more
pressing issues, such as road repairs, arrive, he asked.
"When other needs come in there might be a shortage,"
James said. "It's not an unlimited pot is this the
best way to spend $10 million?"
The proposition is tax bondage, James said.
After hearing each case, Mayor Dave Kooyman addressed
the audience members and said: "I know both of these
people and know their hearts and intents are sincere."
Voting on Proposition 1 takes place on Nov. 4 throughout
the county.
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