A bill passed in the 2018 state legislative session is of particular interest to local municipalities. Vernal City Manager Quinn Bennion offered a legislative recap to the city council during their meeting last Wednesday and made note of the Homelessness Bill that passed. The bill takes local sales tax funds from cities and counties to fund homeless services in Salt Lake, Ogden, and St. George. “They did not take into consideration Uintah County’s shelter or future shelters around the state,” shares Bennion. Local agencies are now required to pay the following amounts: Vernal City $18,037 dollars, Uintah County $37,981 dollars, and Naples City $3,597 dollars. “The legislation is a real hit to rural Utah communities,” states Bennion, “and did not address rural shelters and needs.”
