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Amid outcry, Weber commissioners approve 21 percent property tax increase

By Cathy Mckitrick, Standard-Examiner Staff - | Nov 29, 2016

OGDEN — In a 2 to 1 vote Tuesday evening, Weber County’s three commissioners approved a 21 percent property tax increase projected to add $6,850,638 into the 2017 budget, intended to fund key capital improvement projects and boost lagging employee pay. 

Commissioner Kerry Gibson was the lone vote against the tax increase, while Commission Chairman Matthew Bell and Commissioner James Ebert voted in favor of it. Gibson had hoped to trim the proposed 22 percent tax increase down to 19 percent, while Bell supported the full amount and Ebert advocated the trim back to 21 percent.

Of that revenue increase, about $5.3 million would fund employee compensation, and $1.56 million would be dedicated to capital improvements. The almost $5.3 million for employee raises would provide $3.34 million for Sheriff’s Office employees, with an average average increase of 13.3 percent for all sworn officers and support staff

It would also include $1.94 million for other county workers to provide 2 to 10 percent pay increases for positions that lag behind market values and are especially difficult to fill.

According to Weber County Comptroller Scott Parke, all full-time county employees will receive a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment in the 2017 budget. 

RELATEDWeber County’s property tax increase comes up for final vote Tuesday

Before approving the tax increase — a move that usually means political suicide in Republican-dominated Weber County — the trio heard from a long line of residents for more than three hours, some in support of the tax increase but many sounding off against it.

The crowd of about 120 in the first-floor commission chambers of the Weber Center was reminiscent of those who gathered in mid-August to object to a proposed 25 percent property tax increase. Commissioners postponed their decision until Tuesday and were able to find ways to trim the tax increase to 22 percent, or roughly $5.40 more per month on a $200,000 home, until ultimately trimming it to 21 percent.

RELATEDWeber County’s proposed property tax increase drops from 25 to 22 percent

But some taxpayers took little comfort in the smaller, double-digit tax bump, citing their personal difficulties in meeting rising demands with shrinking resources.

”I was shocked when my property tax went up $1,000,” Uintah Highlands resident Bob James said. “And I got a 2 percent cost-of-living increase in my social security.”

Uintah Highlands resident Rodney Egan said the valuation on his home increased four times in the last four years. 

“I protested it and I’ve gotten nowhere, I had to pay the taxes,” Egan said, also questioning the $2 million the tax increase would provide for capital improvement projects, suggesting that they put priority needs to a public vote and bond to fund those instead of raising taxes.

Weber County Clerk/Auditor Ricky Hatch responded that the county budget does not have enough revenue to make bond payments on the $9 million replacement of the Weber Center’s unstable parking structure. 

Brian Bartholomew of North Ogden challenged the way the county determines property values.

“I think the way you appraise is bunk,” Bartholomew said, also asking where the county made spending cuts, because he’s had to. He also wondered why commissioners deserved a raise. “We have not had cost-of-living adjustments in the private sector.” Bartholomew described how his paycheck had shrunk significantly in recent years. 

But Pleasant View resident Brandon Toll, a lieutenant in the Weber County Sheriff’s Office, said he thought commissioners should be paid more for constantly interfacing with the public while also overseeing 22 county departments with 1,080 employees.

“You couldn’t pay me enough to do what you do … everyone has something they want to discuss and I’m sure it puts stress on you and your family,” Toll said.

The 2017 budget includes an additional $46,547 for wages for the Commission office that includes three commissioners and four assistants. According to Weber County Comptroller Scott Parke, all seven would receive a 2 percent wage increase, raising the hourly commissioner pay from $58.30 to $59.47.

In the fall of 2016, the decision was made to roll the $6,000 automobile allowance allocated to each commissioner into their hourly wage, raising it from $55.42 per hour to $58.30. So base pay for commissioners in 2016 was $121,264, which will increase to $123,698 in 2017. They also receive a cell phone allowance, plus health care and retirement benefits.

The Utah Taxpayers Association issued a statement of non-opposition to the proposed 22 percent tax increase.

“Over the course of a decade, it is sometimes necessary that a taxing entity impose a one-time increase in the certified tax rate to adjust for inflation. Weber County’s time to do this is now to ensure the county can appropriately fund the services it is currently providing,” the association said.

But Brent Odenwalder of Hooper blasted county offiicals for “putting a ton of faith” in their statement.

“They already have a conflict of interest with a sitting senator sitting on their board,” Odenwalder said of state Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, and his dual role of heading up that association while serving on Utah’s capitol hill. Odenwalder likened the Taxpayers Association to “cowering mutts” rather than tax bulldogs.

Hatch says he doesn’t expect the county to ask for another increase for several years.

“The last time we asked for it was 2005, and none of us were here for that,” Hatch said, noting they’d saved and scrimped and tried to make this tax increase as small as possible “so that it accomplishes our goals but is not too onerous.”

Contact reporter Cathy McKitrick at 801-625-4214 or cmckitrick@standard.net. Follow her on Twitter at @catmck.

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