September 2019 | Vol. 19 Iss. 09
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SANDY CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES AT CROWDED TRUTH IN TAXATION HEARING
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By Justin Adams | justin.a@thecityjournals.com
T
he Sandy City Council chambers were packed on Aug. 13 as the city held its Truth in Taxation hearing, a chance for residents to voice their opinion before the council votes whether or not to raise residents’ property taxes. At the end of the night, the same 4-3 margin that voted to include the tax increase in the city’s tentative budget two months ago, voted for the official adoption of about a 22% property tax increase. The initial budget called for about a 34% property tax increase, to be partially offset by the elimination of the city’s street-lighting fee. However, a letter from the city’s Public Utilities Advisory Board convinced the council to maintain the fee and to instead decrease the property tax increase by a commensurate amount. That placed the tax increase at around 22%. The increase will not apply to a resident’s overall property tax bill, just the portion that goes to Sandy City, which is about 10%. For a $400,000 home, that means an extra $44 per year, according to a presentation given by the city’s finance director, Brian Kelley. The primary use for the city’s new revenue will be to hire seven new firefighters and five new police officers, as well as help fund retirement plans for first responders. The retirement funding will help the fire department retain its firefighters, said Chief Bruce Cline, who explained that the city frequently invests large amounts of money in training new firefighters, only for them to leave for other departments with better retirement plans. “It is going to make a difference to this city and to the
Councilmember Zach Robinson (middle) speaks in defense of the property tax increase. Councilmembers Maren Barker and Chris McCandless (left and right) voted against the increase. (Justin Adams/City Journals)
citizens. An extra ambulance on the road. Extra people on the the point of being about 35 years of working,” echoed Police firetrucks. I’m not going to have guys leaving to go to another Chief Bill O’Neal. city now,” Cline told the Sandy Journal after the meeting. Former Sandy City Mayor Steve Newton questioned the “Funding a tier two compensation plan is a huge deal for need for additional first responders during citizen comments. these officers. It makes a big impact on their retirement, to “Crime statistics in SanContinued page 10
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