“Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States. There are no great limits to growth because there are no limits of human intelligence, imagination, and wonder. ”

― Ronald Reagan

Sustainable Revenue from Business Growth

About 25% of Alpine City's revenue comes from sales tax, as outlined in our 2023/24 Citizen's Budget Report. Our current city council has commissioned research that shows that Alpine residents spend about $9M with Alpine businesses, but we spend $95M just beyond our city limits. This investment gives other cities investment and employment resources that we could benefit from more directly, WITHOUT RAISING TAXES on our residents.

Why does business revenue matter?
If we could capture just a few percentage points more of what Alpiners are spending in Highland, our share of that tax revenue would quickly surpass some of our large expenditures like streets or parks.

To attract business activity to a small town of around 10,000 residents like us, our Council can use a variety of strategic tools, including legislation, economic incentives, marketing, and regulatory reforms. I support a comprehensive program of city council activities that are proven to attract business investment and increase tax revenue in Utah.

Let's keep our tax revenue at home, working in our town, employing our kids close to home, and building our future here.

Stopping the Revenue Leaks

Local Tax Incentives

Running a business is hard. Starting one is even harder. We can help our residents have success by implementing tax abatement strategies that help starting businesses establish themselves and provide long-term revenue and employment. Layton, Utah used tax increment financing (TIF) to redevelop its downtown and attract business that in turn increased tax revenue.

Promotion and Branding

We have a special sauce here in Alpine that is different from other well-known, similarly-sized towns in the state, like Park City, Ivins, Moab, and Midway. We should embrace our identity as an entrepreneurial growth hub that bootstraps good ideas and good people and helps them build success.

Business-friendly Policies

Alpine can support business creation by streamlining business licensing and connecting startups to local resources. We can offer fast-tracked permitting for priority industries. For example, Ogden, Utah utilized Opportunity Zones to attract real estate and business investment, leading to increased job creation and higher taxable property values.

Leverage State & Federal Resources

Utah's Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) has many tools, including REDI Grants, Enterprise Zones, and Rural Fast Track Programs. Ephraim, Utah used some of those REDI funds to help create new manufacturing jobs and significantly increase tax contributions.

I must study Politicks and War that my sons may have liberty to study Painting and Poetry Mathematicks and Philosophy. My sons ought to study Mathematicks and Philosophy, Geography, natural History, Naval Architecture, navigation, Commerce and Agriculture, in order to give their Children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelaine.

John Adams, letter to Abigail, 12 May 1780

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