Residents urge board to reconsider 37% tax increase, cite lack of transparency

Several residents at the Sept. 10 Box Elder School District Board of Education meeting urged trustees to reconsider a 37% tax increase the board approved earlier this year, saying it exceeded what voters expected and was approved with insufficient public input.

The public-comment period opened with DJ Bhatt of Brigham City, who praised local leadership in other contexts and urged caution about social media posts that include violent or hateful language. “Stupid behavior makes stupid rules,” Bhatt said, asking those posting online to remove violent language so it does not escalate into real-world harm.

Lisa Marble of Corinne told the board she and other local business partners are proud to support the district but called the tax increase “excessive” and an undue burden on residents and businesses. Marble said she and local businesses collected nearly 4,000 signatures asking the board to “sincerely listen” and include partners earlier in planning, and argued for smaller-scale improvements rather than more expensive projects.

Ben Solholt (also reported as Ben Soholt during his remarks) said he collected signatures from hundreds of residents and found opposition to the 37% increase across political lines. “After 70% of voters rejected a 22% tax increase, how did this board conclude that a 37% increase — an additional 15% — was the appropriate next step?” Solholt asked. He also said some district employees told him they felt intimidated to sign the petition, a concern he said should trouble trustees.

Board members did not reverse the previously approved tax rate during the meeting. A number of trustees noted the legally required deadlines for setting tax rates and the budget, and the business administrator said the tax-rate and budget process had already met state deadlines. The board president said there was no mechanism available at the meeting to reverse the tax rate that had already been set and signed. The meeting record shows no formal motion to rescind or change the rate at the Sept. 10 meeting.

Why it matters: The tax increase is the largest recurring concern raised during public comment at the Sept. 10 meeting and prompted multiple petition drives. Board members acknowledged the level of public concern and said they had reviewed constituent feedback, but they also noted they had followed statutory deadlines and board procedures when setting the tax rate.

Next steps: Several board members said they are willing to meet with constituents individually to discuss concerns. A number of speakers asked the board to place reconsideration of the tax rate on a future agenda; board members said they would research whether a procedural mechanism exists to reopen the rate decision but also noted state deadlines for tax-rate certification had passed.