Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Tax Certified Rate topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City staff reports certified tax rate of 0.002193; $900,000 gap vs. budget to be monitored
Summary
City staff told the South Ogden City Council the county-certified tax rate for fiscal year 2026 is 0.002193, about $900,000 below the council's adopted budget estimate; staff said the city will not change the budget now but will monitor revenues and reassess during the FY27 cycle.
City staff told the South Ogden City Council that Weber County provided a certified property tax rate of 0.002193 for fiscal year 2026 and that the city’s adopted budget includes about $900,000 more in property tax revenue than the county’s certified estimate.
The certified rate and the $900,000 difference were explained by a staff member identified in the meeting as Justin (city staff), who said the county issued revised numbers after the council adopted the budget. Justin said the city analyzed the effect of the certified rate on the same sample of 10 residential and five commercial properties used in last year’s review so councilors could see how valuation changes and rate changes interact over multiple years.
Justin said the discrepancy stems primarily from two factors: a lower-than-expected “new growth” estimate from the county this year, possibly related to implementation problems with new county valuation software, and timing differences in how personal property valuations are estimated and remitted. He told the council the county provided a corrected figure after initial estimates and staff has asked the county for additional clarification. Justin said, “the rate we did get was 0.002193.”
On whether the city should reduce its adopted budget to match the lower county estimate, staff recommended monitoring revenues through the year rather than making an immediate $900,000 reduction. Justin told the council that because the city currently holds a healthy fund balance, it will leave the budget unchanged for FY26 and watch actual receipts, then revisit assumptions during the FY27 budget process. He said, “But where we have a healthy fund balance, we we're not we're not as worried.”
Councilors asked about thresholds that would require a mid‑year adjustment. Staff said if shortfalls become larger or if the fund balance were tighter, the city would move to reduce expenditures or otherwise adjust the budget earlier. Staff noted the city has historically received actual property tax receipts above the county’s early projections in most years prior to FY25, but cautioned that recent years showed lower new growth estimates.
This item was discussion only; no formal motion or vote occurred. Staff said they will track receipts during FY26 and return to the council during the FY27 budget cycle with any recommended changes.
Ending: City staff will monitor property tax receipts against the county-certified rate as FY26 proceeds and present any recommended adjustments in the FY27 budget process.
