'Going to be close': Time running out for petitioners trying to force vote on Roy property tax hike

ROY — Foes of the 34.25% property tax hike approved by the Roy City Council in August are nearing the end of the signature-gathering phase in their efforts to force a vote on the increase.

Whether they get the required 1,786 signatures, which would trigger a referendum in the Nov. 3 general election on whether to retain the tax increase, remains to be seen. They have until Thursday, when they have to turn in all remaining petitions to the Weber County Elections Office so the signatures can be counted.

"It's going to be close, but I'm remaining positive," said Nancy Inman, who's helped spearhead the effort. She said she turned in around 1,100 signatures to county election officials in late September and that she's collecting more petition packets to make sure they're turned in before Thursday's deadline.

She and others launched the signature-gathering effort, outlined in state law, after the City Council voted 4-1 on Aug. 11 to increase property taxes by 34.25%, which would generate an extra $1.75 million for the Weber County city. Officials had initially been mulling a 54.9% tax hike, which would generate an extra $2.81 million, but scaled it back in conjunction with plans to shift fire protection in the city to the Weber Fire District, a separate taxing entity.

Still, the 34.25% increase upset many as excessive, echoing concerns that emerged after the Roy City Council in 2025 approved a 28% property tax hike. Critics had launched a similar signature-gathering effort to challenge the increase last year, but state officials ultimately denied the increase, setting the stage for the repeat effort this year to boost taxes.

Proponents say the increase is needed primarily to boost city workers' wages to keep them competitive with what their counterparts get in other cities, thus preventing turnover. The increase would boost property taxes on a home worth $439,000, the average in Roy, from $388.25 to around $521.23.

City Councilwoman Janel Hulbert, one of four council members who voted for the hike, called the signature-gathering effort "a tough climb" given the work required. She also encouraged those considering signing the petition to educate themselves on the issue. Arguments for and against the property tax increase crafted by each side are posted on the city of Roy website.

"I've really appreciated the residents who have reached out directly with questions so they can weigh all sides before deciding whether or not to sign. I respect that extra effort," Hulbert said in a message to KSL.

Mayor Ann Jackson didn't immediately respond to a query seeking comment while City Manager Matt Andrews kept his comments to a minimum. "We respect the referendum process and are awaiting the results," he said.

'Financial need is real'

Inman and others involved in the signature-gathering effort have knocked on doors and attended a farmers market in Roy before it closed for the season to muster support. Geoffrey Cox has aided in the effort and he stood outside the state liquor store in Roy on Tuesday collecting signatures.

"It's slow this morning," he said.

Like others, he got involved in the effort because he thinks the tax hike is too much. He lamented the plans to increase wages of city employees across the board rather than focusing hikes just on lower-paid workers. "You got to start balancing what percent increase do you give who," he said.

He also thinks officials in prior years could have gotten better control on spending, avoiding the need for a dramatic increase. If the petitioners get enough signatures, voters would then make the final decision via the November ballot question on whether the tax increase should stay in effect.

"The financial strain placed on Roy city residents of continually raising property taxes to fund the wages and (cost-of-living adjustments) of city employees, some of whom are making six-figure salaries, is unfair to the average Roy resident making only $65,000 a year," reads the foes' official argument paper against the tax hike.

The city statement favoring the increase noted the importance of maintaining city services, including police and fire protection and safe streets, as the aim of the hike. "The financial need is real. Inflation and rising personnel costs have caused the cost of providing city services to grow faster than existing revenues," it reads.

Related topics