Anger, confusion and frustration were front and center at the Utah County Commission’s Aug. 15 truth in taxation hearing. Resident after resident spoke against the county’s proposed property tax increase.
The change, for example, would add $91.55 per year for a $532,000 residence. Pushing the tax collected on that home from $190.78 to $282.33, a 48% increase.
County Administrator Ezra Nair said inflation was a big reason for the tax jump. Otherwise, property taxes from more residents would be a “sustainable path.” The county is projecting a deficit of $12 million for 2024, he said, and that will increase to $18.7 million in 2025 and $25.1 million in 2026.
“We're finally at a point where we've exhausted as much of our rainy day fund as possible.”
Other expenses Nair listed were the Children's Justice Center, which has seen federal cuts, the county’s rising crime rate which taxes court and emergency services, state-mandated mental health services and increased flooding.
The last Utah County property tax increase was for the 2020 budget year. The revenue increase was 61% that year. It was later cut by about 13% in 2021 because of an “unprecedented boost” in sales tax revenue.
“We recognize that it's a significant burden, and we've done all we can to minimize those tax dollars that are needed,” Nair said.
He cited a $2.5 million cut from the health department, including discontinuing over 100 positions related to COVID-19. Other costs have been reduced through moving some services online to save on postage, he said. Plus, the county has “cut red tape to incentivize businesses” to come to Utah County to get more sales tax revenue.
Many residents at the taxation meeting weren’t buying it.
In a reference to Nair saying the county needs $400,000 to buy more chemicals for mosquito abatement, Alex Honaker said he lives a mile from Utah Lake and “the mosquitos aren’t that bad”
He added that he doesn’t understand “why those who own property are taking the hit for all the people that are coming.”
Olive Haupt, a 53-year resident of Springville, and several others expressed fear about being taxed out of their homes as senior citizens.
“Everything increases,” Haupt said. “Our salaries don't, because we're not working any longer.”
Others expressed concern over how much some county officials get paid. Greg Jordan of Orem brought a petition to the commission asking for pay raises to be suspended for all elected officials instead of raising property taxes.
A tentative budget will be proposed at a public hearing in October. The commission will vote on it in December.