After preliminary results Tuesday night, the vote on whether Wasatch County should impose a recreation, arts and parks tax was too close to call with ballots outstanding.
Out of 7,675 ballots received by 8 p.m., 3,754 voted against the tax, while 3,744 voted in favor - a margin of only 10 votes.
The question of whether to impose a new sales tax in the amount of 0.1%, or 1/10 of a cent per dollar spent, went to all registered voters in Wasatch County. The ballots asked if the county should levy the tax to fund “recreational facilities, botanical organizations, and cultural organizations or facilities.”
Wasatch County Clerk Joey Granger said 44 provisional ballots would be verified and counted in the coming days, and more ballots could arrive in the mail. If they were postmarked by Monday, they’ll be counted.
The proposed tax would last for 10 years. It would apply to all shopping, except most groceries.
Heber City, Midway and Wasatch County reached an interlocal agreement on how to share the new sales tax revenue in October. They would pool all the tax money from shoppers in the county and distribute it to the cities and county based on populations, giving Heber City half, the county 35% and Midway 15%.
The county estimates it would generate $800,000 in 2022 and more in years to come, with half coming from visitors to Wasatch County.
Heber City’s parks plan outlines new trails, parks and arts programs, as well as improvements to existing facilities,as future goals. One goal is to develop 19 acres of new parks by 2030. More on the plan and how the city would use RAP Tax money are explained at envisionheber.com.