Big tax boosts proposed

If the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District did not raise its budget this year, residents of Cedar City and other surrounding communities would be paying it a mere $7.59 in property tax on a $200,000 home. But the district is proposing to skyrocket that to $110 instead.

That is a whopping increase of 1,350 percent, or nearly a 15-fold spike.

It is just one example of surprises that Utahns may see statewide if they look carefully at notices sent to them the past week about their new property tax valuations, and new tax rates that local governments are proposing to charge.

But the notices also provide a tool that could help residents protest and prevent tax hikes (or at least understand them better): a list of when and where "Truth in Taxation" hearings are scheduled during the upcoming month.

A Deseret Morning News analysis of data from the State Tax Commission shows 71 local governments are proposing to raise property tax rates above levels that would provide the same revenue as last year. When governments do that, they must advertise and hold Truth in Taxation hearings and face potential heat from residents.

Many of the hikes proposed this year are huge. For example, six governments are proposing to more than double tax rates over what was needed to provide the same revenue as last year.

That includes the Central Iron County district, plus Parowan (a 214 percent increase, or $240 more on a $200,000 home), South Salt Lake (134 percent, or $180), Big Water (127 percent, or $213); Lake Point Cemetery and Park District in Tooele County (121 percent, or $28); and Cedar Hills (105 percent, or $161).

Another 11 local governments are proposing increases of between 50 percent and 85 percent — most notably West Valley City, the state's second-largest city, is proposing a 65 percent hike, or $161 on a $200,000 home.

And another nine are proposing hikes of between 20 percent and 50 percent — notably the Kane County School District, where a proposed 46 percent hike would cost a hefty $158 extra on a $200,000 home.

Hearings planned

Among local governments scheduling Truth in Taxation hearings are 31 cities and towns, 20 school districts (or half of all school districts in the state), seven water districts, four counties and nine special districts (ranging from mosquito abatement, to cemeteries to library districts).