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SALT LAKE CITY -- Call it the fuzzy math of a struggling economy: property values are down, but property taxes are up. And other cities and counties are facing additional taxes to make up for budget shortfalls.
Times are tough, and extra taxes are not something a lot of us want to be paying right now, but every agency requiring extra funds say it's absolutely necessary. Depending on where you live, you may get hit particularly hard.
"I'm done with the bill going up," said Salt Lake City resident Ryan Wilson.
But across the state, that's unavoidable right now.
Utahns recently received notice that their property taxes are up, and property values down; we just learned Tuesday that the Central Utah Water Conservancy District is proposing an additional $11.28 per $250,000 home; and residents in multiple school districts are helping make up the $10.3 million deficit left by the Jordan School district split.
Salt Lake residents will feel especially feel the pinch at an increase of $142 a year on a $250,000 home and another $22 bump to pay for new libraries and to complete the downtown science museum. Then there's the proposed public safety building bond--the $125 million price tag would break down to an extra $75 a year for the average Salt Laker.
That bond still needs to go before the voters. When it does, will they have tired of additional costs?
"It's always a concern. It's something we took into consideration. If we could let this building go five more years, we would," said Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker.
But necessary or not, some taxpayers are already feeling "nickled and dimed."
"If the majority want it, then great. If not, then they better stop," Wilson said.
But unlike the public safety building, many of the increases are never put to a public vote, leaving the taxpayers with no other option than to grin and bear it.
"It's hard to swallow, no doubt about it. We all dug a hole, and now we've got to dig ourselves out," said Salt Lake City resident Patrick Barnes.
That's not to say that government isn't trying to cut where they can. Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon recently vetoed a $5 million tax increase. It would have amounted to $10 per average household.
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
