Property tax hikes are fewer this year

Here's a glimmer of good news in the recession for Utah taxpayers: The number of local governments that increased property-tax revenues this year dropped by a third.

Last year, 81 local governments raised such taxes. This year, 56 did — about 30 percent fewer.

That means property-tax revenues were increased by 11 percent of Utah's 520 or so local governments that charge property taxes — from cities to counties, school districts, water districts and even mosquito abatement districts.

That is according to a Deseret News analysis of State Tax Commission data about final tax rates imposed by governments statewide that had started the "truth-in-taxation" process to possibly raise them.

Counties by law must mail final property-tax bills to home?owners by Nov. 1, and taxes are due by Nov. 30.

The reduced number of tax hikes comes during an election year for cities when residents might punish politicians who raise taxes.

That may also have led to one of every five governments that had proposed tax hikes to cut them at least a bit after required truth-in-taxation public hearings.

Utah's truth-in-taxation laws require such hearings (and newspaper ads to publicize them) anytime local governments propose to raise overall property-tax revenues (not rates) beyond what they collected the previous year (not counting money coming from any new growth).

Three cities actually eliminated the tax increases they originally proposed: Monticello (which had proposed a hike of $56 on a $250,000 home); Syracuse (which had proposed a $44 increase on such a home); and Hyde Park (which had proposed a $25 hike).

Another eight local governments partially cut the amounts they originally proposed. (A list of all governments who passed tax hikes and the amounts involved can be found on the related PDF graphic at right.)

Those reducing originally proposed tax levels included: Jordan School District (reduced by $379 from the original proposal on a $250,000 home); Canyons School District ($204 reduction); Grantsville ($141 reduction); Sunnyside ($110); Elwood ($23); Brian Head ($22); Daniel ($12); and Tooele Valley Mosquito Abatement (55 cents).

The amounts of tax hikes approved statewide vary greatly, from hundreds of dollars to a few cents by local governments.

The biggest is a $533 increase on a $250,000 home in Green River, a town that had not charged a city property tax at all recently.