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Council holds truth-in-taxation hearing on proposed property tax increase to meet sheriff contract
Summary
At an Aug. 4 public hearing, Washington Terrace staff proposed raising the property tax rate from 0.001590 to 0.001697 to generate $98,100 to cover contractual increases with the Weber County Sheriff's Office; the council took public comment and scheduled a final vote for Aug. 18.
Washington Terrace held a truth-in-taxation public hearing on Aug. 4 to consider a proposed property tax rate increase from 0.001590 to 0.001697 that staff said would generate an additional $98,100 for law-enforcement contractual increases with the Weber County Sheriff's Office. Tom, a city staff presenter, read the formal impact statement and explained the projected revenue and allocation.
"It's going to law enforcement. We have a contractual offer obligation to support law enforcement services entered into with Weber County Sheriff's Office," Tom said during his presentation, summarizing the purpose of the proposed increase. Staff showed that for a primary residence with a taxable value of $430,699 the estimated annual increase would be $25.33 and for certain businesses the estimated increase would be $46.05.
Council members clarified that the proposed increase reflects a contract demand the city must meet rather than a unilateral decision to expand local policing. One council member said the tax is intended "not to increase policing, but to keep the policing we already have," and staff added that the funding would be pooled across contract cities, which they said would add about 10 officers across the multi-city contract rather than 10 officers only to Washington Terrace.
No formal action was taken at the hearing. Staff and councilmembers reminded attendees that the council will consider public comments and hold a final discussion and decision on Aug. 18 at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
