Ivins City council approves 33–34% property tax increase, adopts 2025–26 budget

Ivins City Council on the night after a public hearing voted to adopt a property tax levy that will raise about $860,000 in recurring revenue and then approved the city's final fiscal 2025'26 budget.

Finance director Cade Bisser told the council and the public that the proposed increase "would increase the city's annual recurring revenue of $860,000" and that staff recommends the change to restore purchasing power lost to inflation, fund new employees, boost the general fund reserve and save for future capital projects. After roughly two hours of public comment and staff responses the council approved resolution 2025-11R, adopting the proposed tax rate; the roll-call vote was 4 in favor, 1 opposed. The council then adopted the final budget (resolution 2025-12R).

Why this matters

Council members and department heads said the city faces a combination of higher operating costs and reduced one-time revenues. Staff presented projections showing the capital projects fund declining from about $4.0 million in 2025 to under $500,000 by 2029 under current assumptions, and that changes in state law will reduce interest-earnings revenue by about $450,000 in fiscal 2026. Public works, parks and police leaders told the council they need additional staff and equipment to maintain the level of service set out in the city's general plan.

What happened at the hearing

The council opened a statutorily required truth-in-taxation public hearing after Mayor Hart read the legal notice. Cade Bisser…