A recent Tribune news article and editorial describe details leading to a large property tax reduction on the Real Salt Lake (RSL) stadium. Apparently, Real Salt Lake is not as profitable as anticipated by Dell Loy Hansen, the present owner. He purchased RSL and then two years later petitioned for a property tax reduction in order to compensate for negative cash flow.
Is this a result of the “good-old-boy-network” philosophy in Salt Lake County and specifically Sandy? It appears that Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan helped the owner, Mr. Hansen, get this tax reduction approved by Salt Lake County. This was followed by a large donation to the Mayor Dolan re-election campaign fund. Coincidence?
The tax base is reduced; the schools will suffer; the libraries will suffer; the water/sewer districts will suffer. Can we expect a property tax increase for the rest of us in order to make up for the RSL tax decrease?
Many of us have faced, or will face in the future, a financial situation similar to that of RSL. We should get the same consideration as RSL. If RSL is given a property tax decrease, then everyone with a reduced income should be permitted the same property tax reduction. Instead, property taxes continue to increase as property values increase. Property tax is based on property values and not the ability to pay - - unless one is wealthy with the ability for large campaign contributions in order to develop significant political ties: read Mayor Tom Dolan, owner Dell Loy Hansen and the Salt Lake County Commission.
What about school/library/water/sewer funding? How do we provide adequate funding for our schools when the “good-old-boy-network” is able to game the system?
There is only one satisfactory solution:
Restore Real Salt Lake property tax to its previous value.
R.W. Hemingway, Sandy
