The Utah House voted Tuesday to force Salt Lake County to eliminate its unpopular police fee in unincorporated areas.
Opponents noted the move amounts to state interference with a county, while Utah lawmakers gripe about federal intervention with the state.
The House voted 54-17 for HB226. The bill, by Rep. Wayne Harper, R-West Jordan, now goes to the Senate.
It would erase the annual police fee, which is now $162 a year for homeowners. Businesses pay more, depending on how much demand their type of enterprise — whether it be a day care, gas station or super center — places on police.
The measure would take effect next Jan. 1, giving the county time to replace the fee with another revenue source —Â such as higher property taxes —Â or to cut budgets.
Salt Lake County Council Chairman Max Burdick, a Republican, said he opposes the bill unless the Legislature gives the county either an alternative funding source — such as a proposed utility franchise fee in unincorporated areas — or leaves the police fee in effect until a new budget cycle in 2013.
"I want the police fee gone, but I need time to figure out how to replace it," Burdick said. "Government's hard to fix overnight."
Democratic Councilman Jim Bradley, a proponent of the police fee, said he favors a proposal by Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, to replace the police fee with a franchise fee. Otherwise, under Harper's bill, the funding hole would have to be filled with a property tax increase, which he said is not as fair as a fee imposed on all who need services in the unincorporated county.
"I guess we would have to raise property taxes an immense amount," Bradley said, "or we could cut half the law enforcement services."
Several lawmakers who represent residents in unincorporated areas praised the bill and said the fee is hated. For example, Rep. Susan Duckworth, D-Magna, said, "My residents in unincorporated Salt Lake County are going to appreciate this."
Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, said the fee cost Kennecott $1.5 million more a year.
But House Minority Leader David Litvack, D-Salt Lake City, opposed Harper's bill. He said it could lead to a 200 percent property tax increase in unincorporated areas. He objected to the state interfering in a county decision simply because it did not like it.
The House amended the bill to allow some similar fees to continue in small districts in Sanpete and Wasatch counties —Â making clear the bill is targeted just at the fee in Salt Lake County.
Rep. Jackie Biskupski, D-Salt Lake City, who declared a conflict because she works for the county Sheriff's Office, protested the move to allow such fees in small counties but not others.
"The point is fees are either good policy or fees are not good policy," she said, and differences should not be allowed.
ldavidson@sltrib.com
Brandon Loomis contributed to this story.
