Wilson, with the Central Iron County District, said its Truth in Taxation hearings were crowded with people concerned about its initially proposed 14-fold increase. "My board is sensitive to the comments received," he said. "We don't make decisions in isolation. Feedback is important in the process."

Cedar City resident Barry Short wrote the Morning News an e-mail after the Central Iron County District's Truth in Taxation hearing. "We're pretty close to voter rebellion," he wrote. While the tax hike was reduced, he complained that the still-much-higher rates "left voters seething."

Mike Jerman, vice president of the Utah Taxpayers Association, urges residents to attend Truth in Taxation hearings — even if they feel they likely will not be successful.

"If a local government goes through a Truth in Taxation hearing and no one shows up, the message received is that the taxpayers are not concerned about their taxes," he said. "Even if a local government decides to stick with an increase, residents attending help ensure that they (officials) don't come back and do it again in a couple of years."

Despite all of the increases this year, Jerman also notes that property taxes are still relatively low in Utah — but sales and income taxes are relatively high.

"Property tax, based on 2004 data, the most current available, show the burden in Utah was the 30th highest in the country, and 20.6 percent lower than the national average," he said. "But property tax is the only type of tax in Utah that is below the national average. The others are higher."

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E-mail: lee@desnews.com