More transparency is needed on the Inland Port

There is a letter to the editor, also in the Salt Lake Tribune, expressing concern over how funds are said to be used, and how they actually are. The letter was authored by a concerned resident, Ann Floor, who notes the Salt Lake CIty Library is paying out $500,000 to the Inland Port and the County Convention Hotel.  

“During public comment, concerns were raised about the lack of transparency to the public since this is listed as Salt Lake City Library funds on property tax statements, with no mention of the inland port or the hotel as the beneficiaries” Ann Floor writes. “People should be told where their tax dollars are being spent. It’s misleading when our tax notices say the money is going one place when it is actually going somewhere else. People deserve to know where their tax dollars are going. Please ensure that future tax notices will be more honest and accurate.”

The Port’s lack of  transparency on their budget, income, and expenses is an ongoing issue for the public. A lawsuit is ongoing to determine the legality of the Port’s collection of property taxes. In 2021, the Port Authority Board voted in favor of a $150 million, publicly backed bond. To exclude public input over how taxpayer dollars are used, the board created a public infrastructure district, which is able to curb elected officials’ input.    

Read the letter in the Tribune here.