Ivins approves $860,000 property tax increase after public hearing and debate

The Ivins City Council voted to raise the city's property tax levy by $860,000 on a motion to adopt Resolution No. 2025-11R, a measure council members said is intended to restore purchasing power lost to inflation, fund four new municipal positions and bolster capital and emergency reserves. The measure passed on a roll-call vote after residents and staff debated the need for the increase.

Finance Director Kate Bisser told the council that property-tax revenue grows primarily with new development and not with inflation; she said the proposed levy would fund two parks positions, one animal-control position and one stormwater coordinator, restore reserves and preserve planning for future capital projects. "We are losing roughly $450,000 of interest earnings in fiscal year 26," Bisser said, pointing to recent legislative changes that reduced the city's prior earned interest. She also described a five-year capital projection showing the capital projects fund falling from about $4.0 million toward less than $500,000 without additional revenue.

Residents at the public hearing voiced strong views on both sides. Fred Birnbaum, an Ivins resident who opposed the increase, said city revenues have grown substantially in recent years and questioned the need to hit the higher reserve target: "Property taxes would be up 63% without the increase," he said, arguing the city is "over-reserving." Nicole Graff, co-owner of Hidden Springs RV Resort, said a roughly 33% increase would be destabilizing for her small-business margins and urged the council to reconsider the proposed public-works yard location adjacent to BLM land near her property. Other speakers described pressures on households on fixed incomes and urged careful prioritization of projects.

Public-works Director Chuck Gillette and the police chief told the council that staff requested the positions and equipment to meet legal requirements and maintain service levels. Gillette said a state audit highlighted deficiencies in the city's stormwater program and recommended a dedicated stormwater coordinator. The police chief said competitive wages and vehicle replacements were needed to maintain public-safety service levels.

Council members stressed tradeoffs between immediate affordability and long-term fiscal stability. Several members said earlier one-time revenue sources (CARES funds and developer bond interest) and slower-than-expected occupancy and revenue from the nearby resort project, Black Desert, had masked underlying operating and capital funding gaps. Council discussion highlighted that Black Desert's fiscal contributions would likely grow over multiple years, not immediately, and that reserves and capital funds could be depleted if the city relies solely on projected development revenue.

After questioning and debate, Council member (speaker 12) moved to adopt Resolution No. 2025-11R to levy $860,000 (listed in staff materials as an 11.74-mill rate for the city portion); a second was given and the motion carried by a 4–1 roll-call vote. The council then adopted Resolution No. 2025-12R, the final 2026 budget, and adjourned the meeting.

The council and staff said future adjustments remain possible: officials noted the council could reduce the levy in later years if development revenue materializes and recommended residents contest assessed values with the county appraiser if they believe their assessment is incorrect. The council also pointed to available county and city programs for older or financially distressed homeowners to request relief or assistance.

The adopted actions at the meeting include Resolution No. 2025-11R (levy adoption) and Resolution No. 2025-12R (final budget adoption). The council recorded the formal vote and directed staff to proceed with the adopted budget and follow-up materials to respond to questions raised during the hearing.