A few years ago I noticed that my irrigation water bill had a disclaimer that noted my
culinary water service would be shut off for non-payment of the irrigation water service. The culinary water provider would then charge a fee for re-connection of culinary service if it were to be shut off for non-payment of the irrigation water service. The culinary water was provided by a special service district (a government agency) and the irrigation water was provided by a private corporation. The taxing entity was acting as the debt collector and enforcer for a private entity. This relationship is wholly inappropriate.
I spoke with both service providers, wrote a letter detailing the obvious breach of its scope of service to the water district, spoke with the Farr West city representative to the water district and encouraged all parties to dissolve this relationship. While investigating this relationship I also learned that the inter-local agreement the parties originally entered into, while not statutorily valid, had expired. I suggested that both entities acknowledge the terms had expired and asked they no longer maintain this relationship. Their response was to renew the terms of their relationship for a term of not less than 50 years. They affirmed that they were unwilling to do the right thing on their own, let alone do the right thing at all.
During a legislative session I brought this information to the Utah Association of Special Districts and Rep. Lee Perry of House District 29 and spearheaded terminating this relationship. It is not okay for a government agency to be an enforcer or debt collector for a private corporation. A bill to dissolve this relationship and to prevent others like it from forming sailed out of committee, through both chambers, and received a signature without delay and without opposition. House District 29 needs a representative that will keep a watchful eye on government and its relationships and how it affects citizens at all levels. It also needs a representative that will work to prevent government from expanding it's influence in a manner that is unethical and inappropriate.