Only four cities - Centerville, Bountiful, West Bountiful and Woods Cross - agree to place a one-tenth-cent recreation, arts and parks (RAP) tax proposal on November's ballot.
Earlier this month, North Salt Lake said no to the notion, and this week Farmington followed suit. In both cases, the resolutions died for lack of motions.
Tuesday night, council members in Centerville discussed funding options with Jason Burningham of Lewis, Young, Robertson & Burningham (LYRB), which recently completed the feasibility study for the proposed $14 million center.
According to the study, funds could be leveraged from a variety of sources: $6 million from tax increment from Centerville's Marketplace redevelopment project, $1.4 million from Davis County's tourism tax and an estimated $4.8 million from the proposed RAP tax.
"The concept of a regional performing-arts center has been discussed for a number of years," said Centerville Mayor Ron Russell, noting that in 2004, voters defeated a Davis County RAP tax because it wasn't tied to any specific project.
This time he hopes for a better outcome.
The 70,000-square foot center would house Rodger's Memorial Theatre, with room for other area art organizations. Rodgers, a longtime community favorite, has outgrown its current space on 292 E. Pages Lane in Centerville.
While 50 percent of the proposed RAP tax is earmarked for this new facility, the other half could be used for recreation and sports, said Farmington resident Lowell Steele as he tried to nudge his City Council to take action Tuesday.
The idea turned out to be too tough to sell.
"I'm not opposed to putting this on the ballot," said Farmington Mayor Scott Harbertson. "But we've got the worst timing in the whole world."
Harbertson referred to the recent uproar in Davis County over December's 37 percent tax increase, combined with hefty jumps in property valuations. Also, a quarter-cent transportation tax will go before Davis voters in November.
Contingency plans need to be made with and without the desired RAP funds, and depending on the county's willingness to contribute tourism dollars toward the regional center, some of the facility's features might have to be trimmed, said LYRB's Burningham.
cmckitrick@sltrib.com
