U.S. Steel Corp. paid its Utah County tax bill the other day. It amounted to nearly $2,000,000 – or 18 per cent of the entire assessed tax of around $11,000,000 in the county.
Mountain Fuel Supply paid its tax the same day. It amounted to $215,080.
There were many other big tax checks also from businesses and industries.
These payments amounted to a graphic example of just how much industry and commerce mean to Utah Valley. They give meaning to the current campaign to attract new industry to the valley to create more jobs and payrolls.
Besides the tax checks of the industries themselves, there are the taxes paid by their employees.
It is sickening to contemplate where Utah Valley would be today, and what the future economic prospect would be without the payrolls of the industries which we have, big and little. Every one counts. But still there are insufficient jobs, and as a result, we are still exporting a big percentage of our young people because they cannot find employment here.
At a cost of $10,000, the Provo Chamber of Commerce employed the Development Planning Associates of San francisco to make a study of Utah County’s industrial potential. The firm’s report, presented at a county-wide Economic Conference last August, recommended formation of a Utah Valley Industrial Development Association (UVIDA) to spearhead the campaign for new industries to provide for these needs:
1. More jobs.
2. Increase the diversity of Utah Valley’s economy, raising the general level of income and reducing the effect of economic fluctuations in single industries.
3. Expand the tax base to provide adequately for schools, public improvements and other local government services.
The first part of the recommendation has been accomplished -organization of UVIDA with temporary officers. The big job is still ahead. This is to put UVIDA on a sound financial foundation with a full-time manager to get Utah Valley in the competition for new plants.
Temporary officers are seeking $20,000 from Utah County as the backbone of a $30,000 annual budget with the balance to come from the various communities through the efforts of cities, chambers of commerce and private sources.
The budget seems pretty much in line for Utah County’s size. Weber has a $50,000 industrial program budget; Davis County, $30,000; Iron County, $10,000; Sanpete, $11,000; Sevier, $13,500; Carbon, $7500. In most cases, the county treasury is the sole or principal source of revenue.
Joint effort through UVIDA, backed and supported by the county, cities and private sources, seems the best answer to Utah County’s needs. In the past many years, this county has not developed up to its industrial potential despite diligent efforts by volunteer individuals and organizations. We need a new approach, and the joint effort with a qualified full-time manager has been recommended by experts as the best answer.
Let’s give this plan a chance, and move into it without delay. Utah County commissioners have expressed themselves as favoring industrial expansion to provide needed jobs and have indicated their support would be forthcoming-but have made no commitment on funds yet. The commission discussed the matter with the mayors of the various cities to ascertain their position last night. The mayors endorsed UVIDA and will investigate financing proposals.
Meantime, the public hearing on the 1966 Utah County budget of $1,642,234 has been set for 2 p.m. Dec. 22. Fast action is going to be needed if the UVIDA allocation is to be included in this budget.
The Herald believes that tax money allocated for a sound UVIDA industrial program would be money well spent. If the program is successful, the outlay would be returned manyfold. The proposed plan of major county participation with financial responsibility also allocated to the communities seems sound and just.
The communities have been united, to this point, on proceeding through a valley-wide industrial organization. But valuable momentum is being lost. Whatever course is decided upon, action should be the watchword now.