Payson Roundup

Editor:

The proposed Payson Ordinance 748 calls for giving developers 10 years to pay their $7,500 water impact fee.

There are more than 1,000 lots in the active planning stage with the Community Development Department. This does not include the 700 to 800 lots that will probably come out of the proposed Airport development. The point is, that there is plenty of interest on the part of developers in the future of the Payson real estate market. They do not need a stimulus for development by allowing them to stretch out payment of their water impact fees over 10 years.

Since developers rarely hold developed lots for 10 years, the recordkeeping that would be required by the Town of Payson to determine who owes what and when would be overwhelming and probably result in lost revenue while the cost should be borne by the developer.

The water impact fee is needed by Payson and its taxpayers as incurred, to earn interest and reduce future property tax and water rate increases in paying for the estimated $30 million Blue Ridge project.

This project is proposed to be funded with: water impact fees from new construction; increased property taxes; increased water rates; and federal and/or state grants.

The larger issue is what is the mayor and town council’s financial plan for financing the Blue Ridge project?

Do they have a plan? What will be the impact on the average Payson citizen’s annual property tax and monthly water bill?

It is not too early to prepare “what if” projections that can be used to monitor and manage to as more updated information becomes available.

Payson citizens deserve to know. Meanwhile, the proposal contained in Ordinance 748 on water impact fees should be removed by the town council.

Jim Hippel

Citizens Awareness Committee