In small-town Salina, residents have been dancing because of a Parks, Arts and Recreation tax. They’ve also been shooting hoops, turning somersaults, practicing tae kwan do and clobbering baseballs.
What no one knew — until a legislative audit released Tuesday — is that the North Sevier Recreation Department has been tapping those sales tax dollars for activities such as ballroom dance and Junior Jazz basketball in violation of state law, which precludes cities such as south-central Utah’s Salina from using PAR-like levies from covering the operating expenses of rec programs.
It’s a startling discovery for North Sevier Recreation Director Brady Edwards, who relies on the PAR program for most of his budget. He received about $50,000 last year, which has paid for everything from gymnastics to football.
“That is our lifeline,” he said Tuesday. “This is the only way to operate these programs.”
While the legislative auditor general found that most cities and counties are administering their Recreation, Arts and Parks tax programs correctly, the office found several instances in which money was used for questionable purposes.
The Murray Arts Council contributed Zoo, Arts and Parks dollars — pegged for cultural arts — to the salaries of music and art specialists in the Murray School District, although public schools are excluded from receiving that funding.
Woods Cross spent about $7,000 of its cultural funding on a Memorial Day breakfast to pay for a climbing wall, entertainment and equipment rentals, even though cities aren’t allowed to retain and spend RAP cultural funds.
Brian Head spent $4,600 of its recreational funding on a summer concert series, Oktoberfest and a Winterfest concert, although cities are precluded from using that rec money for operating expenses.
