- Weber School District proposes a 21% property tax increase, raising annual costs.
- Funds are needed to maintain services, cover inflation, and meet security mandates.
- Opposition arises from taxpayers and a lawmaker; a public hearing is set for Aug. 6.
OGDEN — A northern Utah school district wants to raise taxes.
The Weber School District is proposing to increase taxes on a typical home from $804 to $979 a year, which is a 21% jump.
The school board is scheduled to meet next week to consider the increase, which is attracting opposition from some taxpayers.
Why the increase?
In a public notice, the district emphasized the increase is "not to expand programs, but to maintain current levels of service and support for students."
Specifically, there are three reasons for the increase, said Lane Findlay, Weber School District public information and safety officer.
One of those reasons is inflation, he said, which has made it harder to pay for everything.
"We have 45 school buildings plus several district buildings we have to maintain," Findlay told KSL-TV, "so you're talking new roofs and boilers and chillers, and when those things go out, it's a big-ticket item."
Findlay also said the district is struggling to pay for new security requirements imposed by the Legislature, such as panic alert devices and security film on windows.
"That's going to be a big expense for us to be able to cover all those mandates and be in compliance with the law," he said.
Finally, thanks to a change in the law, the Weber School District stands to lose millions in state funding if it doesn't adjust how much money it brings in through local tax collection, according to Findlay.
"We don't want to leave that money on the table," he said.
Opposition to the proposal
Greg Smith, who lives in Pleasant View, runs a small business.
"I run a mobile bike repair shop," Smith said. "I do all right. It's always a tough go running your own little business."
That's why he wasn't thrilled to learn the Weber School District wants to raise his property taxes.
"It's frustrating," Smith said, arguing the district should make cuts in other areas, particularly those not directly related to educating students.
"Every year it's another $100 or $300," Smith added. "It gets to be tiring."
Some Republican lawmakers are also coming out in opposition to the tax increase.
"Families are already stretched. We shouldn't be forced to hand over more cash without clear answers and real priorities," Rep. Jake Sawyer, R-West Haven, wrote on Facebook. "Not just more spending, smarter spending."
What's next?
A tax increase is not guaranteed. Findlay noted the 21% proposal is the maximum that could be adopted, but it might be less than that.
Either way, the Weber School Board will have the final say. The board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposal on Wednesday, Aug. 6, at 7 p.m. at 5320 Adams Avenue Parkway in Ogden.
