Cache, Utah Ballot

[prewcaptain of 100]

I am just trying to get some discussion on the issues on the ballot here in northern UTAH.
cache sample ballots
I know that some you live up here in Cache County with me.
I just received snail mail in my mailbox about proposition 1. Basically it increases your property tax and as a reward for that increase Cache County will remain Cache County. (I think it was referring to the open spaces of Cache County.) It is in essence a land conservation tax.

I am going to vote against proposition 1.
Reasons why: A. increase my tax, I do not like that. B. Cache County already has a sales tax for land conservation. In fact that tax was in the news at the beginning of the year here in Cache County. The news was that the county didn't know how to spend the money. C. We are going into a depression. We do not need land locked away from the use of man.

Anyway, I would like to hear your opinions.

[prewcaptain of 100]

Talking about conservation.
Our forum has talked about conservation programs in the past.
example
sign of socialism and here

[prewcaptain of 100]

I mentioned about a previous conservation tax levied on Cache County.
Here is a link from Utah Tax Payers Association about it.
I am trying to find a link about that tax which I read about earlier this year.

[Captain Moronicaptain of 1,000]

Hey vote for it and help Utah become the most taxed state in the Union while also being the most GOP. What a total irony.

[prewcaptain of 100]

here is a link to the conservation campaign web site.
following is some points that this proposition is to do.

Preserving lands that protect our air quality and our
water resources

Every day I go home from work. Every day on main street just south of Logan River I pass a sign that says: "You are now entering a Water Conservation District"...Hmmm... I also work with the engineer that monitors the air around Cache County. His maps show higher PM concentrations out of town than in town...Hmmm.

Preserving Cache County’s working farms and
ranches;

Sounds like the $850 billion bailout, but miniaturized.

Protecting wildlife habitat;

Hmmm, my yard/garden had a ton of wild grasshoppers this year. Maybe I can qualify for some of the funds if I promise not to eradicate them.

Safeguarding our scenic views and vistas;

Most people in Cache valley live on the edge of the valley on the benches. I wonder if they are worried about tall buildings blocking their view.

Preserving land along streams and rivers, including
the Bear River;

Can private owner ship do a better job at that?

Acquiring land for walking, hiking and biking trails;

There are already funds to do that. No need to tax us more.

Providing additional opportunities for outdoor
recreation;

My city is already taxing me for more parks.

Conducting annual audits of spending.

I am sure that they do that. But I never hear about.

Anyway I do not like the proposition to bill me more taxes.

[shadowcaptain of 1,000]

As a fellow Cache Valley resident I too am opposed to this propocrap. Whenever I vote for these types of programs I like to review The Proper Role of Government by ET Benson. If I don't have a right to force my neighbor to fund my pet projects then I can conclude that the government (We the people) does not have that right either. The whole thing makes no sense anyway. So we buy farmer Joe's land and preserve it, so what? The developer will go buy farmer Jim's land and develop that instead. Besides, value is found in people not land. I'd rather see a suburb full of families rather than an open field (Of course I live less than a mile from the mountains ).
Now is not a good time to be taxing people anyway, plus I wholeheartedly disagree with any property tax (rent).

[BastiatHi, I'm new.]

I mentioned about a previous conservation tax levied on Cache County.
Here is a link from Utah Tax Payers Association about it.
I am trying to find a link about that tax which I read about earlier this year.

Prew, I checked out the link. My favorie reason for opposing the tax was this:

"RAP proponents claim that increased spending on recreation reduces costs associated with crime and law enforcement. However, if this is indeed true, and this claim is certainly dubious, then increased arts spending should come from other government services whose costs, according to RAP promoters, should be decreasing as recreation funding increases."

That made me lol! It makes too much sense.
Thanks for the link.

[Proud 2b Peculiarcaptain of 1,000]

Bastiat I just have to say I love your screen name.

[prewcaptain of 100]

I thought that I remembered voting against proposition 1 before.

Anyway, I was looking for some reference to old ballots. I found the 2004 ballot. At that time, proposition 1 was called "Initiative one - Open Space Preservation". It was a state wide vote. It was rejected state wide.

Voters will be asked to approve a $150 million bond funded through a .05-cent increase in sales taxes.

Source.

a $150 million bond to purchase open space and fund projects that protect drinking water, air quality, wildlife habitat, family farms

Source

There are other ways. For example: See here. If you search their news letters I see other farms / lands protected by "The Trust for Public Lands"

It seems to me, that the money comes from private donations.

[prewcaptain of 100]

proposition one did not pass. Yea

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