Wellsville council approves Resolution 2025-07 to increase property-tax revenue

The Wellsville City Council voted Aug. 5, 2025, to approve Resolution 2025-07, increasing the city’s budgeted property-tax revenue by 0.99% over last year’s budgeted revenue (excluding revenue from eligible new growth), after a public hearing and staff presentation.

Scott Wells, who presented the budget and tax allocation materials, told the council and residents that ‘‘by state law, you are guaranteed the same property tax that you received the previous year,’’ and that the city is proposing to hold its tax rate so that increases in assessed value from new construction will raise total revenue rather than raising the rate charged to existing taxpayers.

Wells walked the council through how Wellsville’s share of the property-tax ‘pie’ is distributed among Cache County, Cache County Schools, the Cache County Health Fund, mosquito abatement and other entities. Using figures from the tax notice, he showed how assessed-value growth affects the city’s total property-tax receipts and gave illustrative household numbers. The chair read an example used at the hearing: the Wellsville share on a $583,000 residence would move from $256.84 to $259.73 under the adopted budget, and the city’s projected increase in budgeted property-tax revenue is 0.99% above last year’s budgeted amount, excluding new growth.

During questioning, a council member asked Wells to clarify the difference between ‘‘holding’’ the rate and asking for a rate increase. Wells said the city’s tax rate under discussion was 0.000810 and explained that holding the rate asks for the same total revenue as the prior year while increases in the rate would raise both the rate and total taxes paid by homeowners.

Chad Lindley, planning and zoning, encouraged the city to include concrete household examples (for instance, a $400,000 home) in public notices so residents could more easily understand the practical effect of changes. A council member also briefed residents on a low-income property-tax abatement—referred to in the hearing as a ‘‘circuit breaker’’ or homeowners tax-credit form (the form was cited verbally as TC90CY or similar)—and noted that residents age 66 or older (or eligible surviving spouses) with household incomes below the statutory threshold (cited in the hearing as $42,623) should consult the Cache County website for eligibility and application details.

After public comment, a councilmember moved to close the public hearing. The council then voted to approve Resolution 2025-07 by voice vote; the presenter and clerk confirmed the correct resolution number and arranged signatures.

The council and staff stressed several local spending priorities that informed the budget discussion: a modest $5,000 increase to the county sheriff contract, a $10,000 payment to Hiram Library, ongoing sidewalk funding (the council cited a recent $34,000 sidewalk cost and a $25,000 annual sidewalk allocation), anticipated sewer repairs and a JUB aeration study for Sewer Pond 1 (the study cost was cited at about $35,000), playground maintenance (about $18,000 spent previously), and planned part-time planning staff (estimated $30,000–$45,000) and fire-station capital needs.

The resolution was approved by voice vote; the council signed the paperwork and moved on to departmental reports and Founders Day planning. The meeting adjourned after routine announcements.