The continued reliance on bonding for public projects within our state is a growing concern. While infrastructure and community improvements are important, the ongoing issuance of bonds places an increasing burden on taxpayers who are required to repay these debts without any ability to write off these payments on their tax returns.
The constant cycle of borrowing and repayment is not a sustainable financial strategy. Bonding essentially defers the cost of projects while guaranteeing that taxpayers foot the bill, often with interest, for years to come. Instead of continually passing the financial responsibility onto residents, government entities should explore alternative funding solutions that do not result in long-term debt obligations for taxpayers. Prioritizing fiscal responsibility, transparent budgeting, and seeking alternative revenue sources should take precedence over routinely resorting to bonds.
In many cases, bonding has become a backdoor way to fleece taxpayers while allowing officials to claim they haven’t raised taxes. This deceptive practice obscures the true financial burden on residents, as debt repayment often results in increased fees, levies, or budget reallocations that ultimately extract more money from taxpayers without the transparency of a direct tax increase. Additionally, these bond repayments are frequently added to residents’ utility bills, making essential services even more expensive and placing further financial strain on households.
It is time for local and state governments to take a more responsible approach to financial planning. Excessive bonding should be reconsidered in favor of strategies that allow for necessary projects to be funded without burdening taxpayers with ongoing debt.
Additionally, some of these projects should be pursued as private initiatives rather than public ones. Not every development or improvement needs to be funded by taxpayer dollars, especially when private enterprises could take on these responsibilities more efficiently and without adding to public debt.
Taxpayers deserve a more sustainable approach to funding public needs — one that does not rely on a cycle of borrowing that ultimately increases financial strain on residents.
Robert Shannon, Cottonwood Heights
