Ruby's Inn transfer has Garfield hurting

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Sep 10, 2007

ESCALANTE, Garfield County -- Taxes on a $150,000 home in Garfield County may increase by $70 next year to compensate for lost revenue from Ruby's Inn, a county commissioner said.

Ruby's Inn was recently incorporated into Bryce Canyon City, and Garfield County stands to lose $250,000 to $500,000 a year in sales taxes from the hotel and its complex of shops and restaurants.

The county will also no longer collect about $500,000 in property taxes from Ruby's Inn.

The county's budget is $9 million, said county Commissioner Clare Ramsay, who cynically called Bryce Canyon City "the company town" as he addressed state legislators, federal and state employees on a bus tour studying natural-resources issues in south-central Utah Thursday.

The county, which counts 4,700 residents, will still receive hotel room taxes and some property taxes from Ruby's Inn.

"It looks like the only thing we have left is to raise everyone's property taxes to make up for the loss," Ramsay said.

The county commissioners will consider raising taxes in January.

Commissioner Dell LeFevre would prefer to trim county services.

"I'm against raising taxes," LeFevre said. "But I'm only one out of three (commissioners)."