Kaysville may raise taxes a bit

Though they won't pack a wallop for Kaysville residents, proposed increases in property tax and energy-use tax would allow the city to hire some new employees.

A 2 percent to 5 percent property-tax increase would bring the city's general fund about $20,000 during the 2006-2007 fiscal year. And an increase from 5 percent to 6 percent in the energy sales and use tax would generate about $175,000.

With that money, the city would be able to hire a new police officer, public-works employee, city planner and possibly two full-time secretaries.

The City Council, during a work session on June 3, directed the city's finance director, Dean Storey, to explore some possibilities for getting more money. The slight tax increases seem to do the trick.

Storey said that the energy-tax increase, which is levied against every customer in the city's power system, would go into the city's enterprise fund and then be transferred to the general fund to pay for the employees.

Compared to cities with similar demographics, Storey said, Kaysville has substantially fewer employees.

The budget hasn't been finalized yet. A public hearing is scheduled for June 20 at 6:30 p.m., before the regular council meeting.

Because the city is planning to raise taxes, a Truth in Taxation hearing will be held Aug. 1 at 6:30 p.m. Truth in Taxation hearings are mandated by the state any time a property-tax-collecting entity wants to raise property taxes.

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E-mail: jdougherty@desnews.com