I noticed this http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_10099732 in the Trib this morning. Basically, Hogle Zoo is attempting to convince the County Council to reconsider their actions on the Zoo Bond. You can read the article, but the County Council, Republican controlled 5-4, told Hogle Zoo that in order to get their $65 Million bond on the ballot, they would have to raise the $20 Million they promised the County Council they would eventually raise to fund the project before taxpayer funds are used.
This has Democrats and Zoo supporters up in arms, saying that the standard being set is too high. In fact, the Zoo folks are wondering whether they'll put the bond issue on the ballot at all.
Since I actually pay property taxes now, I've earned my opinion. And I'm with the Republicans on this one.
Reason: I know it's a small tax hike to my newly purchased town home (10 bucks a year or so, if I recall), but if Hogle Zoo says they can raise $20 Million in private money to fund this project, I think, as a taxpayer, it is my right to ask them to "show me the money". Because I would hate to think that, call me a pessimist if you like, Hogle Zoo gets the cash infusion, then falls short on fundraising, and either A) comes back to the taxpayers for more, either via ballot initiative or the County Council, or B) just scales back their projects, and simply use the taxpayer money to create an exhibit that doesn't meet the standards being sold to the taxpayers in order to pass the ballot initiative.
To put it in poker terms, this may be the County Council Republicans doing a fantastic job of not only calling Hogle Zoo's bluff, but raising them as well. And Hogle's response says to me that they aren't holding the cards to back the chips on the table.
Even if it gets on the ballot, I may still vote "no". But I'm glad Republicans like Mark Crocket, David Wilde, Marv Hendrickson, Michael Jensen, and Jeff Allen are watching out for my money, and are making sure that, if I do get a property tax hike, Hogle Zoo can't play games with that money.
Now, about that soccer stadium...
This has Democrats and Zoo supporters up in arms, saying that the standard being set is too high. In fact, the Zoo folks are wondering whether they'll put the bond issue on the ballot at all.
Since I actually pay property taxes now, I've earned my opinion. And I'm with the Republicans on this one.
Reason: I know it's a small tax hike to my newly purchased town home (10 bucks a year or so, if I recall), but if Hogle Zoo says they can raise $20 Million in private money to fund this project, I think, as a taxpayer, it is my right to ask them to "show me the money". Because I would hate to think that, call me a pessimist if you like, Hogle Zoo gets the cash infusion, then falls short on fundraising, and either A) comes back to the taxpayers for more, either via ballot initiative or the County Council, or B) just scales back their projects, and simply use the taxpayer money to create an exhibit that doesn't meet the standards being sold to the taxpayers in order to pass the ballot initiative.
To put it in poker terms, this may be the County Council Republicans doing a fantastic job of not only calling Hogle Zoo's bluff, but raising them as well. And Hogle's response says to me that they aren't holding the cards to back the chips on the table.
Even if it gets on the ballot, I may still vote "no". But I'm glad Republicans like Mark Crocket, David Wilde, Marv Hendrickson, Michael Jensen, and Jeff Allen are watching out for my money, and are making sure that, if I do get a property tax hike, Hogle Zoo can't play games with that money.
Now, about that soccer stadium...
3 comments:
Ok, I'm confused...do you not realize that Hogle Zoo is OUR Zoo, not Hogle's Zoo? It is OURS, as in OUR community! We own the zoo, we support the zoo, the zoo supports our children and our community...they work for peanuts up there, and out of trailers no less, and somehow people in OUR community are assuming that they are "not being straight" with us ("not holding the cards"..)...what are you TALKING about? When was the last time you went to the Zoo? It's AWESOME! And I'm pretty sure I read somewhere in the last year that year-after-year their audited books are the most precise of ANY nonprofit in the state...WHY are we questioning them??? Why don't we want OUR zoo to succeed? I just don't get it...
Thanks for your comments, Elizabeth.
I don't frequent the zoo, though I went a few times when I was a child.
I lived less than 3 miles from the zoo for most of my life. When it comes to bonding projects, I simply disagrre with your argument: "WHY are we questioning them??? Why don't we want OUR zoo to succeed? I just don't get it..."
I question bonds the same way I question my own spending habits. I can't simply spend whatever I wish on whatever I desire: I have constraints on my budget. If the zoo wants public money, then certainly I am within my rights to ask the same questions of them.
It's not a question of wanting the zoo to succeed: It's a question of proper use of taxpayer dollars. If Hogle Zoo does not want the scrutiny brought by asking for those tax dollars, they really have no business asking in the first place.
Little known fact:
elizabeth was writing from the zoo.
behind some bars.
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