Property taxes to rise for 11 cities and the unincorporated areas of Salt Lake County

SALT LAKE CITY — Beginning next November, residents living in 11 cities and the unincorporated areas of Salt Lake County will pay an extra $7.77 per month in property taxes.

The increase comes after the Unified Fire Service Area received approval from the Unified Fire Board for an $11.4 million tax hike.

“We’re looking at about $7.77 a month for this tax increase,” said Legal Counsel Rachel Anderson. “And obviously, that could go up or down depending on the value of [a person’s] property.”

Unified Fire service areas impacted by the tax increase include:

• Kearns,
• Taylorsville,
• Cooperton Town,
• Eagle Mountain,
• Emigration Canyon,
• Magna,
• Midvale,
• Millcreek,
• Town of Alta,
• Town of Brighton,
• White City, and
• Unincorporated areas of Salt Lake County.

Anderson said the UFSA has to set aside 15% of the tax.

“As time goes on and inflation hits us … we need to spend more out of our fund balance. ]So] every once in a while we’ll need to do a tax increase to increase that fund balance up to that 15%,” Anderson said.

Anderson also said property taxes are the only funding mechanism for service areas.

“We don’t get the benefit of increasing that dollar amount in response to inflation or other cost pressures,” Anderson said.

The tax increase will also pay to staff two renovated fire stations. It will also pay to build or restore two other fire stations and other fire service costs.

Tammy Kikuchi is a reporter and anchor for KSL NewsRadio. 

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