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City of American Fork Proposal to
Enact a Sales and Use Tax
for
Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture (PARC)
Pro and Con Statements
with Rebuttals
PRO
The following is a Statement in Support of the PARC Measure that will appear on
the Ballot on Tuesday November 4, 2014.
On Tuesday November 4, American Fork residents will have the opportunity to vote on a
measure that has the potential to dramatically improve the quality and availability of local
programs related to Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture.
If passed, when someone pays sales tax in American Fork, a portion (one penny for every $10
spent) would go to fund parks improvements, recreation facilities, local arts programs and cultural
organizations.
Because the PARC Program would be supported through a local sales tax, everyone who shops
in American Fork would contribute to local cultural and recreational programs - instead of having
the financial burden rest solely upon residents (like a bond or property tax would).
American Fork has a very strong retail base that attracts shoppers along the Wasatch Front, and
as a result, the gains to support local programs could be substantial. In fact, if the upcoming year
generated as many sales as this past year, citizens could earn nearly $600,000 for the activities
supported by the PARC program. According to several local business owners, as much as 70%
of American Fork sales come from shoppers who live outside the city limits -- drastically drawing
funds from outside the City.
Similar programs have proven very successful, and they’ve been widely supported by Utah
residents. In Orem the CARE program (Cultural, Arts and Recreation Enrichment) has supported
the SCERA, Hale Center Theatre, Utah Regional Ballet, The Orem Chorale and others. In Salt
Lake County, the ZAP program (Zoos, Arts and Parks) has been in effect for years, and has
improved 160 arts and cultural organizations, and 30 plus park and recreational facilities
including: Hogle Zoo, Wasatch Community Gardens, Ballet West, the Utah Symphony, and even
small and struggling theatre and arts groups.
For years, American Fork has not had the proper funding to really support the arts and recreation
facilities it has. One of the big draws to our great community is that it boasts a small-town charm
without compromising on big-city opportunities for families. A PARC Program would enhance our
well-known community perks--from music programs like the American Fork Symphony to wellmaintained biking and hiking trails. And we can best support our great quality of life in American
Fork with a bit more financial backing drawn from taxpayers who visit. The PARC program can
do that.
PARC funds would be allocated and accounted for by a citizen review committee that would be
approved by the City Council. Any non-profit organization related to parks, recreation, arts,
parks, historical preservation, dance, theater and other cultural-related organizations would be
eligible to apply for PARCs funding.
With a very small tax increase, -- only 1/10th of 1% sales and use tax -- we can make a big
impact for American Fork.
For more information, you can visit our Twitter and Facebook accounts.
Early Voting begins October 21st at the American Fork Library.
CON
The following is an opinion submitted by an American Fork resident who desires to
present an opposing viewpoint to the PARC Measure that will appear on the ballot on
Tuesday, November 4, 2014:
Fellow American Fork Residents:
The Zoo, Arts, and Parks Tax (“ZAP”) is nothing more than another tax on ALL residents
of AF City! In a May 22, 2014 city meeting, Mayor Hadfield declared that "70%" of all retail
purchases made in the city are completed by "nonresidents." This is a fairytale. The city has
conceded it doesn’t have "hard-data" information supporting this declaration. So, when a city
official tells you that the tax will be paid mostly by nonresidents, DON'T BELIEVE IT, and vote
NO to the ZAP tax!
The city doesn’t really want the ZAP tax for the arts. AF City tells you that the tax is to
improve the city's parks, arts, and recreation. However, in the May 22, 2014 city meeting, the
only reason identified for the ZAP tax was to complete a $9.7 Million, Art Dye Regional Sports
Complex, not for the arts. In the meeting one councilman exclaimed: "If we don't get this tax, the
Art Dye Park will remain the way it is for another 5, 10, maybe 20 years." The city doesn't really
want the ZAP tax to improve the amphitheater, or buy the Harrington School for renovation, they
want a $9.7 Million Art Dye Regional Sports Complex, and they want you to pay for it with the
ZAP tax! The city needs the ZAP tax to complete this non-essential escapade, because it knows
that AF City residents will vote down a properly presented bond measure, so vote AGAINST the
ZAP Tax!
Don’t condone the inappropriate, and possibly illegal, campaigning by city officials for the
tax! AF City sent two emails to an unknown number of email addresses it had collected on
7/21/14 and 7/28/14. Each email requested that the recipient complete an online survey regarding
AF City Parks, Arts, Recreation and the ZAP tax. These emails were sent out purposely to
influence AF City residents to vote in favor of the ZAP tax. Unfortunately, the emails and survey
were improperly, perhaps even illegally, sent out by AF City. A complaint was filed with the
Utah State Lt. Governor's Office regarding this issue. In response, the Lt. Governor's Office noted
a basis for the complaint and referred the matter to the State Attorney General's Office for further
investigation and possible criminal prosecution! The law is clear, AF City cannot use public
funds and resources to try and influence a public vote as it has in regard to the ZAP tax. Tell AF
City that you do not condone its inappropriate, perhaps even illegal, conduct in using your tax
funds for political purposes: Vote NO on AF City's Zoo, Arts and Parks tax measure!
Lastly, don’t be confused, the Zoo, Arts and Parks Tax is identified in various ways, “ZAP,”
“PARC,” and “CARE.” No matter the identification employed, it’s still just another tax on YOU!
For additional, more in-depth, information visit www.No-ZAPtax-AFCity.com.
/s/ Curtis Larson
[email protected]
REBUTTAL TO THE ‘PRO’ STATEMENT
Fellow AF Residents:
The city’s “pro” stance on this issue should be reviewed with caution. First, the city doesn’t want
you to understand that this tax is a 10% increase to the current sales tax you pay. Second, it wants
you to believe that 70% of all purchases in AF City are made by nonresidents. But notice how it
supports this assertion: only “several” business owners have been contacted. This declaration has
no basis in fact and is simply anecdotal. Third, while touting the successes of other cities and
their arts programs because of the ZAP tax, AF city can only name one arts program, the
symphony. Arts are not the reason for the tax. The city wants a “$9.7 Million Regional Sports
Complex.” Fourth, use of the ZAP tax revenue is governed by state law. Under that law it can
only be used for financing (1) cultural, recreational, and zoological facilities, and (2) ongoing
operating expenses of recreational, botanical, cultural and zoological organizations. It cannot be
used for constructing or improving libraries, historical preservation projects, recreation classes, or
sports programs, as the city wants you to believe; nor for roadways to or surrounding parks.
The city wants the ZAP Tax because it knows AF residents will not support a general bond for
parks or the arts.
The ZAP Tax is just another tax the city wants to impose on you. VOTE NO on the measure this
November 4th!
Visit www.No-ZAPtax-AFCity.com for more information.
/s/ Curtis Larson
[email protected]
REBUTTAL TO THE “CON” STATEMENT
The proposed PARC tax could enhance quality of life through improved arts, culture and
park efforts. Last year, Lindon City passed a PARC tax with a 68% favorable vote. No
opposition was received by Lindon City for the city’s voter information pamphlet. In
American Fork, Mr. Larson wrote the only opposition letter, and he filed the sole complaint
about resident polling, which is still under review by the State Attorney General’s office
(standard procedure with these types of complaints).
Residents in Lindon, Cedar Hills, Orem and Salt Lake County have recognized that these
programs pull from outside the city’s taxpayer base. That’s the benefit — especially for
cities with a strong retail base. Estimates from auto dealers and retailers have said that
70% of our sales come from non-residents.
For clarification, the proposed increase is not 10%. It’s 10% of the 1% of sales tax that the
City gets from total sales tax collected (changing it from 6.75% to 6.85%). That is only one
penny for every $10 spent.
The PARC program has the potential to support varied arts, cultural and recreational nonprofits. Indeed, parks may apply, and the Art Dye Complex is something residents have
wanted to improve. Plans for picnic pavilions, a summer splash pad, sports fields, and hiking
and biking trails could benefit if the committee (comprised of residents and approved by
the City Council) were to make such recommendations. Regardless, we would hope these
and other improvements would be welcome additions to our community.