Deseret News | Utah property-tax burden creeps up

Reader comments
Utah property-tax burden creeps up

NotFromUtar | 2:00 p.m. Sept. 22, 2009

Don't let the JSD Board Members read this, they might try to ding us more because were not paying enough.

The Reddest State in the Country should be in the bottom 5 of this list!

Karl | 2:39 p.m. Sept. 22, 2009

Lets include the income tax and the high cost of living here....stop raising my taxes, start cutting spending and get more of the money to teachers. How is it that charter schools that are funded at 50% of normal schools perform so much better but that's another subject.

Really? | 2:48 p.m. Sept. 22, 2009

We certainly don't want our school board to raise property taxes comparable with other states. That would be too responsible and demonstrate our commitment to our children. We want to spend all of our extra money on internet, cable TV and fancy cell phones for our kids so they can text. When will Utah come out of the dark ages and realize that you get what you pay for? Education is not cheap, but it is the cornerstone of our future. Higher property taxes fund better educations. Better educations yield higher paying jobs. Higher paying jobs yield more tax dollars used to pay for your benefit.

Comments continue below

head tax | 2:50 p.m. Sept. 22, 2009

Since Utah is dead last in per pupil spending, maybe a Head Tax should be put into place; especially if they are going to raise property taxes.
I always remember my parents complaining about why they had to pay for the 6 children across the street to go to school through their property taxes, when they only had 1 child! Now I understand.

Quest | 3:42 p.m. Sept. 22, 2009

The cost per pupil is popular number to throw out there. Why? Utah has more kids per capita--we are always going to be last on cost per pupil. Besides that, our schools seem to do just fine with less money (test and achievement scores are enviable across the nation). Also, school districts in Utah get anywhere from 60-80% of our property tax money. Why aren't we more carefully scrutinizing THAT share of the pie--it seems an elected position on the school board carries more community weight than does the local county or city.

David B. | 4:19 p.m. Sept. 22, 2009

Thanks politicians you bunch of crooks!How can you even think about raising taxes in a recession.Food costs are thru the roof,income taxes are too high,and that three ring circus in Washington puts our debt in the trillions!What's wrong with you people?Wake up America and smell the crud they're shoveling!After all you know how to tell when a politician is lying? When they're lips are moving!

falcon's beak | 5:29 p.m. Sept. 22, 2009

With all these people out of work and many on a lower income we are raising any tax? How dumb can you get! Let go government workers as you must, reduce salaries across the board. I'd like teacher salaries to go up, but they are in a lot better situation than a lot of people.

xscribe | 5:40 p.m. Sept. 22, 2009

Food costs have not risen for quite a while. Not sure what your state taxes are, but you need to address that with your state. Hopefully you're talking about Bush and Obama when you talk about Washington, as Obama inherited a trillion-dollar debt already. And all politicians lie and are rich and will never know or necessarily care about those of us that are less fortunate. Just be glad that gas is cheaper than it was a year ago. Notice how the drill here drill now rhetoric has quieted down for quite a while now? We're all just fair-weather fans, so to speak, and only care about an issue as it's affecting us, and never look at long-term solutions.

Ken Goddard | 7:07 p.m. Sept. 22, 2009

It is obviously clear that taxes ought to be doubled to pay for all these kidses edgecation. We should be at the top of the tax list not near the bottom to have something to brag about. Utah needs to provide for a decent edgecation which is just not happening. The lucky ones go to private non-mormon schools.

K | 7:40 p.m. Sept. 22, 2009

I really need to move. My house is worth anywhere from 230K-340K depending on the year and I pay 7K in IL.

Apples & Grapes | 3:58 a.m. Sept. 23, 2009

What difference does it matter what other states are paying on taxes? We live in Utah, not California, Nevada, or Hawaii. Utah's legislators and keeping up with the Jones' tax system has to end. Along with the poverty incomes in Utah we are among the lowest in the nation if you want to compare. Comparing taxation we also have many other variables in the equation.

The reason property values have not dropped is because our dear SL County assesors have falsified property values to adjust for shortages in tax revenues.

It's time for our legislators to take back control of how property is evaluated and adjust tax rates accordingly. Stop allowing the property value assessors to regulate taxes needed by government. It is totally illegal for assessors be our tax regulators. Only the legislators can adjust property taxes by law and this is abusive powers given to the SL County assessors office. Before property taxes can increase the legislators must approve the also increased taxes. We are being taxed without representation and unconstitutional laws in the hands of the SL County assessors office.

HIstory of education funding | 6:39 a.m. Sept. 23, 2009

Utah has always had the most kids per capita, but has not always spent the least per child. We once beat educational powerhouse states like Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana, but now we spend thousands per child less.

Utah property taxes are low and schools get a smaller share of property taxes than they did decades ago. Income taxes once went exclusively to K-12 and now they fund higher ed also. Utahns pay a smaller portion of their income to taxes and a smaller portion of their taxes go to education.

Those kids across the street that we are paying to educate will pay for our social security and medicaid, so let's ensure they get a quality education. Charter schools now cost more than regular public schools, but their test results are lower per student than comparable students in their neighborhood schools.

We get what we pay for. When will we again invest in our children like our parents and grandparents did for us?

Re: Charter Schools | 7:39 a.m. Sept. 23, 2009

Charter schools get the same amount of money per student as a public school. Also, parents are generally required to be involved in their child's education at the school or else they will not be accepted at the school. Isn't it amazing the difference parental involvement has in a child's education?

Get a little knowledge | 7:47 a.m. Sept. 23, 2009

Most comments on this board display ignorance as to the Utah property tax system. Even the article's author shows some ignorance. The taxing entities need to give the public notice when they are raising tax revenues, not tax rates. The tax rates are set automatically to collect the same revenue as the previous year unless the board or council of a particular taxing entity wants to increase the revenue. If such a board or council desires the increase, they have to notify the public on the tax notice and in the newspaper. Those boards and councils are either elected by the people or appointed by individuals who are elected by the people. The notice requirement for tax increases enhances the idea of "taxation with representation", which is what the Revolution of 1776 was all about. Utah is better than most states in this regard.
The county assessor does not set the amount of revenue. The county assessor merely splits the check. The assesser enhances revenue only when he adds new houses and buildings to the tax rolls. This should make everyone happy except for the foiled tax cheats.

RAISING TAXES | 8:56 a.m. Sept. 23, 2009

RE-PUBLI/CONS RAISING TAXES?

No way!

I'm calling GLENN and RUSH and SEAN and ANN and...

NO ETHICS REFORM and now RAISING TAXES.

What's going to happen next?

jackhp | 11:20 a.m. Sept. 23, 2009

"The reason property values have not dropped is because our dear SL County assesors have falsified property values to adjust for shortages in tax revenues."

This is an absolute lie. Read the comment from 7:47 a.m. this morning and "get a little knowledge" . . . please!

@Apples & Grapes | 12:14 p.m. Sept. 23, 2009

WOW - while I don't live in Salt Lake County, the County Assessor IS an alected offical here and does have to follow a number of State Tax Commission Guidelines.

Are you just upset at him because he is the one who mails you the valuation notice. I don't know anything about your county assessor, but I think you are WAY OFF BASE. There are a number of people involved in setting the taxes you pay and public meetings are held on budgets etc.

I would rater the assessor who lives in my county (as well as the others involved) be the ones to make those decisions rather than some guy way down in Kane County who may have never even been to where I live.

I think your post displays what I think is a gross misunderstanding of citizenship and government. I challange you to attend the regular public meetings (you city, county commission, school board etc. and then you may want to consider an abology to your county assessor and now when you are actually informed, YOU MAY WAZNT TO RUN and try to be elected by the people for his/her job ! ANYONE AGREE ?

wallofvoodoo | 12:51 p.m. Sept. 23, 2009

It is because every po dunk city in Utah has to have a proessional fire department, a gigantic police department, new buildings to have them in & benefits for their city coucil & mayor even thought they are all part time.

Wrong again | 12:54 p.m. Sept. 23, 2009

I live on 1/2 an acre, my home value is $156,0000 but my property taxes are $1600+, so their "assessment" in this article is incorrect, my property is worth more than my house! Plus we ALL pay for the taxes each year on our vehicles, oh yeah we forgot about those taxes. Yet no one can tell us what those taxes are used for, all I see on my way to work for 36 miles is orange barrels, it's the stimulus money that has put those orange barrels up, not the taxes, WHICH we can't claim on our yearly income taxes as a write off. Good ol' state of Utah - make everyone pay where it hurts, because we're behind everyone else - whatever.

Batman | 4:28 p.m. Sept. 23, 2009

How much did George pay? Something has gone wrong. I am in favor of a per pupil bill for education. Family's with a ton of kids shouldn't be paying less. If you want to have that many go ahead, but pay for them.

Split the education bill | 5:20 p.m. Sept. 23, 2009

I think that parents should pay for half of their child's K-12 education and have the taxpayers pay the other half. This would assure that parents get more involved in the education of their children because they want to "get their money's worth". Families with large families would pay more than those with small families. Society benefits from the rising generation having a solid education so half seems fair to me.

Of course, if I am going to pay half of my four kids' education, I want the choice of where to send my kids.

K | 7:57 p.m. Sept. 23, 2009

Bigger families have bigger houses. The smaller family doesn't need all that space. If you don't like your tax bill move a house the proper size for your family. If you have 4 bedrooms you should have a more valued home than a 2 bedroom. Why shouldn't you pay based on your house value even though you don't have the kids/yet? It's just part of the expense of the larger home.

former Utahn | 8:45 p.m. Sept. 23, 2009

I agree with K - I would love to be paying "Utah taxes", the taxes here in Northern Atlanta are much higher.

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