[{"_1":2,"_85":-5,"_86":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6585535,"mediaKeyId","5609678-33ff2d291ed8c948329317dcf040ef01","parentId",5609678,"title","Gunnison council agrees to hold property tax rate; staff to find about $30,000 in general fund","audioSeconds",3532,"startMs",171000,"endMs",3703000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5609678-33ff2d291ed8c948329317dcf040ef01&start=171&end=3703","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6585535/Utah/Gunnison-council-agrees-to-hold-property-tax-rate-staff-to-find-about-30000-in-general-fund","mediaUrl","author","Gunnison City Council","date","2025-08-19T19:00:00Z","article","Gunnison Mayor Stella and city council members agreed during a budget workshop Tuesday to hold the city's property tax rate at roughly the same level used two years ago and to identify budget adjustments to cover the resulting gap.

The decision came after city staff outlined the numbers behind the 'truth-in-taxation' calculation: the county's taxable value for the city rose from about $183 million last year to about $191 million this year, and the draft budget assumes roughly $325,000 in general-fund property tax revenue and about $120,000 for the library. City staff said keeping the two-years-ago rate would reduce property-tax revenue in the general fund by about $30,000 compared with the current draft and, because of how the state tax commission calculates required amounts, could increase the total shortfall to about $80,000 if no other changes are made.

Why it matters: property-tax decisions determine how much revenue the city can rely on for police, parks, streets and other general-fund services. Councilors repeatedly emphasized they wanted to limit direct tax increases on residents while balancing projected service and capital needs.

Staff explanation and numbers

City staff walked the council through the figures, including recent tax-collection line items and how the state tax commission projects required property-tax amounts. A staff member said the library's property-tax line rose slightly with new growth and noted the city's draft general-fund request sits below the state's calculated need if the rate is not adjusted.

\"If everyone just hold the rate ... we've gotta find $80,000 in the budget somewhere,\" the staff member said, explaining the combined effect of the two-year comparison and the state's assumptions.

Council discussion and trade-offs

Councilors and staff discussed several ways to close the gap without raising the rate, including moving some salary costs back to enterprise funds, reducing capital reserves and trimming specific capital-outlay lines. One staff member pointed to three budget lines in the general fund where reductions would meaningfully change the truth-in-taxation calculation: (1) the capital-outlay/parks line identified in the packet, (2) a city-hall repair line, and (3) a line tied to council salaries and travel. Staff noted moving wages back into enterprise funds could reduce general-fund pressure by several thousand dollars.

The group also discussed transfers from enterprise funds (water and sewer) that have been used in past years to support general-fund operations. Staff explained those transfers are largely paid from higher utility revenues generated by a large, nonproperty-tax-paying facility (identified in the packet as the prison) and that increasing transfers further can help avoid raising property tax but reduces reserves available for utility projects.

Council consensus and next steps

After discussion and line-item adjustments proposed by staff, the mayor said, \"Let's just do that,\" and the council agreed to hold the property-tax rate and pursue identified cuts and transfers to cover the roughly $30,000 immediate difference in the general fund. Council also directed staff to finalize a revised draft budget reflecting those adjustments before the next meeting.

Staff noted the council would still complete the truth-in-taxation process required by state law even if the rate is held; staff will return with a final budget and the exact calculations for the public hearing.

Ending

Councilors emphasized they wanted to limit direct tax increases on residents while preserving essential services. Staff will deliver a revised draft with the recommended changes and the final numbers for the truth-in-taxation hearing at the council's next scheduled meeting.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","Special City Council Meeting - 2025.08.19 Special Council Meeting Audio","oneSentenceSummary","Gunnison Mayor Stella and city council members agreed during a budget workshop Tuesday to hold the city's property tax rate at the level used two years ago and to identify budget adjustments to cover the resulting gap.","taxTitle","Gunnison, Sanpete County, Utah","taxId",79993,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":50,"_51":82,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6585530,"Council sets aside irrigation meter-replacement and pond-expansion reserves; agrees to segregate funds and revisit fee schedule",5070,547000,5617000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5609678-33ff2d291ed8c948329317dcf040ef01&start=547&end=5617","/articles/6585530/Utah/Council-sets-aside-irrigation-meter-replacement-and-pond-expansion-reserves-agrees-to-segregate-funds-and-revisit-fee-schedule","Gunnison city councilors and staff at a budget workshop agreed to make the irrigation meter-replacement reserve and the pond-expansion reserve visible and harder to spend, assign per-connection dollar amounts for clarity, and schedule a brief special meeting to finalize any changes to the fee schedule.

Lede facts: staff said the irrigation program currently charges $9 per month for customers on the city's irrigation system (north of the river) and that the charge was intended to cover both a meter-replacement bond and a pond-expansion reserve. Council members asked staff to separate those purposes and to show the dollar-per-connection breakdown to the public.

What staff proposed and council directed

Staff told the council it could take the monthly assessments collected and transfer them monthly into distinct savings accounts so residents could see the money earmarked for meter replacement and pond expansion. A staff member said, \"We can literally, every month, transfer money out ... and we can move the cash over to a savings account that is specifically for that,\" describing how the city could make the reserve harder to reallocate.

Council asked staff to compute and present the per-connection figures. Staff returned a pair of per-connection amounts during the workshop: $3.82 per connection designated for the meter-replacement reserve and $3.18 per connection designated for the PIA (pond) expansion reserve. Councilors asked staff to show the account balances to the public and to label the accounts so the money is identifiable.

Fee level, schedule and next steps

The conversation included a range of proposals. Some councilors urged lowering the monthly charge to $7 to reduce the immediate burden on ratepayers; others argued that the $9 level helps ensure future meter replacements and pond work can be funded without seeking large loans. Councilors agreed to hold a short special meeting to change the fee schedule if needed; staff suggested a 24-hour posting and offered a noon meeting on the 25th to finalize any changes.

Other details

Staff said the original meter program cost the city roughly $440,000 to install the meters (the figure cited in the packet), and councilors discussed the pace of meter replacement and long-term planning. Staff also confirmed there are 663 irrigation connections that pay the monthly maintenance fee.

Ending

Councilors asked staff to present the final per-connection amounts and to show the segregated savings-account balances at the next meeting; staff said they would produce a final budget and the clarified fee schedule for formal adoption.","Gunnison council directed staff to earmark meter-replacement and pond-expansion reserves in separate accounts, agreed on per-connection allocations to show residents, and scheduled a short special meeting to finalize any fee-schedule changes.","actionData","errors"]

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Gunnison council agrees to hold property tax rate; staff to find about $30,000 in general fund

Council sets aside irrigation meter-replacement and pond-expansion reserves; agrees to segregate funds and revisit fee schedule