Ivins Mayor Chris Hart announced that the city has determined the petition to refer Proposition 14 — a property-tax increase challenged by residents — is insufficient after Washington County’s signature verification found the petition met the required threshold in only two of the city’s four voter participation areas.

"This is an update on Proposition 14," Mayor Chris Hart said, adding that "the city, through its duly authorized clerk, Carrie Jimenez, has determined that the referendum is insufficient based on only 2 of the 4 voter participation areas, meeting the required signature threshold." He explained state law requires the threshold be met in three of four areas for a petition to be sufficient.

The city said Washington County processed the signatures to verify signers were registered voters and provided that information to Ivins. Hart said the city invited representatives of the petition sponsors to review the verification data and will not publish the raw data unless the sponsors opt not to verify it themselves.

Hart identified Carrie Jimenez as the city’s authorized clerk who made the insufficiency declaration after a review by the city’s legal team, the city manager and the mayor. He said the county also provides the map that divides Ivins into four voter-participation areas; the map is intended to create contiguous areas of similar population and, as Hart put it, "that map was provided to the sponsors of the referendum, and I believe they've been operating using that map for their efforts in garnering signatures."

The mayor said the city is moving forward based on its final budget adopted Aug. 14, which included an $850,000 property tax increase challenged by the referendum. Hart said Washington County will be sending tax notices "very soon" and that the notices have been prepared to reflect the increase because the city’s determination leaves the adopted budget in place. He said, had the signatures met the required thresholds and the petition qualified, the tax notices would instead have reflected the prior year's tax amounts and the city would have faced roughly an $850,000 shortfall on a general fund budget Hart described as "roughly a 5,5 and a little bit million dollar" budget.

"We have, practically speaking, asked our department heads to hold off on any hiring or purchasing new equipment until this was resolved," Hart said, describing steps the city took while the petition process was unresolved. He said staff and department heads had been preparing for either outcome and expressed relief among staff that the city will retain the contested revenue for now.

Hart acknowledged the work of petition canvassers, saying residents such as "Chad" knocked on doors and asked neighbors to consider the tax increase. He urged residents to vote if a ballot item appears, noting the city is encouraging residents to "go ahead and register their vote in case there's something that shows up after our meeting here today that would prompt it to go to the voters." Hart said the city does not anticipate further changes but is advising residents to submit ballots if they receive them.

The city’s statement and Hart’s remarks did not include publication of the raw signature list; Hart said the sponsors were invited to view the verification data before the city would publish it. The mayor also said the county-approved quadrant map can be reviewed at the council chambers for anyone wishing to inspect it.

Officials named during the discussion included Carrie Jimenez, identified as Ivins city clerk; Chuck Gillette, identified as the city manager; and Dale Kulham, identified as a former city manager. Hart spoke for the city at the public briefing and answered audience questions during the meeting.