Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Budget Tax topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Utah County adopts preliminary notice allowing a tax-rate increase, schedules public hearings
Summary
The Utah County Board of Commissioners adopted a nonbinding resolution that allows the county to consider levying a tax rate above the certified rate, setting public hearings for the 2019 and amended-2018 budgets and estimating $60$70K in mailing costs for required notices. The resolution passed 2—1.
The Utah County Board of Commissioners voted to adopt a resolution providing notice of the boards intent to consider levying a tax rate that would exceed the countys certified rate.
Commissioner-level discussion and a motion to adopt the resolution emphasized that the action is a procedural, nonbinding step required by state law and establishes an upper limit the board may adopt later. Unidentified Speaker 1 moved to adopt the resolution and Unidentified Speaker 3 seconded; the motion passed 2-1 after one commissioner said they could not support the action without more concrete budget numbers.
The board set two public-notice actions tied to that process. For the 2019 general-fund budget, the board set a public meeting for Dec. 4, 2018, at 6 p.m. in Room 1400 of the County Administration Building, 100 East Center Street in Provo. Separately, the board set a public hearing to consider amending and increasing the 2018 county budget for Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018, at 9 a.m. in the same room.
The resolution as read by staff lists the additional ad valorem tax revenue that could be generated by the proposed increase as $7,500,000 and an approximate percentage increase of 27.56%. County legal staff explained the statutory language used in the resolution is the form required by state law; it functions as a legal upper limit because at final adoption the board may act to adopt an increase equal to, less than, or not at all in relation to the stated amount.
Treasurers-office staff told the commission that mailing and postcard notices required to reach every property parcel are expected to cost in the $60,000$70,000 range. Commissioners said departmental budget presentations (scheduled to begin publicly the following week) will provide the detailed numbers they need to refine any final proposal.
The board recorded the vote on the resolution as 2 in favor and 1 opposed. One commissioner explained the "no" vote was due to insufficient concrete numbers at this stage rather than a categorical objection to public notice or outreach.
The board said it will receive and consider public comment during the scheduled hearings and will refine the proposed amounts as department-level budgets and revenue estimates become available.
