County Commissioner Adam Snow Visits KDXU to Clarify Bond Issue

Investing in Growth: Washington County's Bond Proposal

Washington County is considering issuing up to $50 million in sales tax revenue bonds to help pay for expansion projects at the St. George Regional Airport and the Dixie Center.

Financial Framework: Terms of the Bond and Implications

The County Commission authorized the bond process in July, setting a maximum term of 30 years and an interest rate of no more than 6%. If the County borrowed the full $50 million and kept it outstanding until maturity, county estimates show total principal and interest payments could reach about $97.6 million.

Revenue Streams: Funding the Future Through Tourism Taxes

The bonds would be repaid using revenues from tourism-related taxes, including the Transient Room Tax and the Tourism, Recreation, Cultural, Convention and Airport Facilities Tax. County records show no other bonds are currently being repaid from those same revenue streams.

Commissioner Insights: Clarifying Tax Implications

Commissioner Adam Snow appeared on Southern U-Talk on KDXU Tuesday to discuss the plan & how TRT taxes will be used.

"There is no increase in taxes being proposed. Anyone eating in a restaurant is already paying that tax, and has for years. A revenue bond like this, if we go through with it, simply means that we are committing that current tax revenue to pay the bond, NOT increasing taxes or putting on a new tax to pay the bond."

-Comissioner Adam Snow

The proposal is not limited to the airport. Bond proceeds could fund airport improvements, help the county purchase an interest in the Dixie Center and finance improvements there, or support a combination of both projects. Final allocations have not yet been set publicly.

Project Scope: Funding Allocations for Airport and Dixie Center

The St. George Regional Airport has already been preparing for significant growth. City planning documents call for expanding the passenger terminal’s secure area, improving Airport Parkway, acquiring land for future growth, and continuing work on a new air traffic control tower. A previous state funding package also identified the need to expand the terminal to handle increasing passenger traffic.

The city has also solicited construction work for a terminal expansion that includes enlarging the existing building and rehabilitating structural, mechanical, and architectural elements.

Community Engagement: Public Hearing Highlights and Input

Washington County held a public hearing Tuesday to gather input on the bond proposal and its potential economic impact. The hearing did not, by itself, establish final borrowing terms, a construction schedule or exactly how much money would go to the airport versus the Dixie Center.

Listen Here: Commissioner Adam Snow Joins Southern U-Talk with Dale Desmond on KDXU

If the full bond package moves forward, the decision would represent one of the county’s larger recent infrastructure investments tied directly to tourism and regional growth.