Increase in Taxes Proposed April 22, 2005 Weber cities approve regional tax 911 dispatch funding agency to go before voters in November BY SHANE FARVER Standard-Examiner staff sfarver@standard.net A resolution to create a new taxing entity to fund the Weber Area Consolidated Dispatch Center is closer to the hands of Weber County voters after all the cities in the county have voted in support of the proposal. City councils in Ogden, Riverdale, Washington Terrace and Uintah each voted unanimously Tuesday in support of the resolution, which would eliminate interlocal agreements between cities and Weber County to fund the dispatch center. The Marriott-Slaterville City Council passed the resolution approving the district Thursday. Voters countywide will decide the fate of the proposed entity in November. "This is a lot of governmental entities supporting the creation of this district," said Mark Christensen, Washington Terrace city manager. The center provides ser-vice to all areas in Weber and Morgan counties, but cities are paying for it individually. "We don't see any negatives for it, we only see positives," said North Ogden Mayor Lynn Muirbrook. The North Ogden City Council voted April 5 to support the resolution. Ogden Fire Chief Mike Mathieu believes paying for the consolidated service with a consolidated entity will level the playing field between cities. "It's best delivered, best funded, best governed on a regional basis, because people don't stay in their hometown," he said during Tuesday's Ogden City Council meeting. Mathieu said if people currently need medical assistance outside of their hometown, the city they're traveling in foots the bill. "It's a regional community service," he said. "It's not one that should be paid for locally." Mathieu said the resolution would make the tax rate assessed on a countywide basis, which would make it more equitable. However, Mathieu said, individuals will be taxed differently based upon the value of their home. He said one of the most difficult parts about educating the public before November will be convincing them a 911 tax on their phone bill only takes care of a third of the operations for the dispatch center. While Morgan County receives the services of the dispatch center, it has the option to create a separate district or keep an interlocal agreement with Weber County.