Most residents of Salt Lake City know that the Inland Port, which the Utah Legislature forced upon the city, is an economic and environmental disaster waiting to happen. Recently, the board of the port voted 9-2 to issue bonds through a Public Infrastructure District in the amount of $150 million (it will probably be $250 million after the interest is paid) backed by Salt Lake City taxpayers with the intention of building a transloading facility and other assorted structures.
A transloading facility moves goods from trucks to railroad cars and in the other direction from railcars to trucks. Presumably, goods from Pacific coast ports would arrive by rail and be transferred to trucks. The principal outgoing commodity by rail would be Utah alfalfa destined for cows in China.
Three short observations:
— If the transloading facility is so wonderful, why doesn’t the private sector, say Union Pacific, build it? Must the taxpayers subsidize the profits of private corporations and real estate developers? There have been no studies to indicate that the facility would be economically successful.
— The Inland Port was created to be a profit-making business enterprise by the state of Utah, and is therefore the logical party to back the issuing of bonds, not Salt Lake City. Inasmuch as the state of Utah, through its ownership of the port, takes 75% of tax revenues and gives the city only 25% of tax revenues, then the state must assume the risk of the bond issue.
— Absolutely no bonds of any kind should be issued or sold before the Supreme Court of Utah delivers its decision as to the legality of the port’s existence. In creating the port in 2018, the Utah Legislature clearly violated Article VI, Section 28, of the Utah Constitution which states that, and I quote, “The Legislature shall not delegate to any special commission, private corporation or association, any power to make, supervise or interfere with any municipal improvement, money, property or effects, whether held in trust or otherwise, to levy taxes, to select a capitol site, or to perform any municipal functions.”
The leadership of the Inland Port — its executive director, board and legislative supporters — are trying to make an end-run around the government and people of Salt Lake City before the Supreme Court decision. They need to be stopped in their tracks.
James King, Salt Lake City
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