Cache County council approves 18% property tax increase to address budget shortfall

Cache County’s governing council voted to raise combined health and general fund ad valorem property tax revenue by 18% for the 2026 fiscal year following a Truth in Taxation public hearing.

The council and the county executive said the increase is intended to close a significant budget gap. "We started with the deficit of $7,800,000," the county executive said during an early presentation of the tentative budget, adding that the administration had identified about $2,800,000 in expenditure reductions and $3,700,000 in proposed revenue increases that together would reduce the shortfall to roughly $1,300,000.

The increase, estimated in the public notice as $3,721,500 for 2026, was proposed as an 18% rise in combined ad valorem revenue. The motion to adopt the increase was moved from the floor and seconded; the council approved the measure by voice vote. The council did not provide a roll-call tally during the meeting.

Why it mattered: Council members and the executive emphasized that about 70% of county expenditures are personnel-related, and prior cuts have already led to eliminated positions. One councilor summarized the fiscal changes since 2019: "We’ve had 26% inflation ... and 10% more population," saying those combined pressures require additional revenue if services and employee compensation are to keep pace.

Public input: Several residents spoke during the hearing. Ron Castell, who identified himself as a Logan resident, said he values public safety and local services and asked whether taxpayers had been asked which services they most want to preserve. Christine Christiansen thanked staff for outreach and asked where the deficit came from; the council pointed to a combination of inflation, population growth and earlier revenue shortfalls and noted the county has unreserved funds.

Transparency and records: A commenter raised concerns about access to records and said county officials lacked required crime-insurance documentation; later in the meeting the chair relayed information from the clerk that the county does have crime insurance "through the trust" and that coverage documentation can be provided.

Reserves and next steps: Council members said the county currently holds about $22 million in unreserved funds and that leaders are trying to reduce the remaining deficit to zero without relying on long-term depletion of reserve funds. The chair reminded the public that a separate budget hearing on expenditures is scheduled (the council referenced a Dec. 2 hearing during the meeting) and invited written feedback from residents.

Procedure: The hearing followed local Truth in Taxation rules limiting the scope of public comment to revenue matters. The council closed the public portion of the hearing, debated revenue options and approved the 18% ad valorem revenue increase by voice vote. No roll-call vote or detailed tally was recorded in the transcript.