Property tax notices — a shock in the mail
That comes while inflation has been running about just 2 percent here — so taxes are rising nearly six times faster than inflation.
"That's high," said Mike Jerman, vice president of the Utah Taxpayers Association. His business group projects tax hikes that are a bit smaller than what the Morning News figures, about 10.9 percent overall. Jerman uses somewhat different data and methods. Either way, it's a double-digit increase this year.
"Property taxes have not increased at a double-digit rate since 1999," Jerman said. "Typically, annual increases have been about 6 percent, which is in line with inflation and population growth."
The Morning News totaled and analyzed the final tax budgets for more than 500 local governments in Utah, and tax rates for them and the more than 1,200 "tax areas" created by crisscrossing boundaries of local governments. Among findings are:
• 471 of the 513 local governments in Utah are increasing property tax revenue this year.
Deseret Morning News graphic  2007 Property tax hikes and cuts by local governments in Utah |
• Budgets call for raising a projected $1.85 billion through property tax this year, compared to $1.66 billion budgeted last year. Property tax notices by law should be mailed by Nov. 1, and taxes are due on Nov. 30.
• Taxes vary widely across Utah. The highest are in a small part of Shadow Mountain Lane in Ogden: $2,395 on a $250,000 home. The lowest are in an unincorporated part of Rich County near Bear Lake: $694 on a $250,000 home.
Recent comments
Steve T., you sound like you understand some of it but are "full…
Don B. | Oct. 16, 2007 at 2:49 p.m.
With the vouchers you'll be getting a n allowance for about half…
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Your story presents a very unfair impression that most local governments…
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