Heber City intended to raise property taxes by 4.2% for fiscal year 2027.
But Heber failed to comply with all of the state’s new public notice requirements, according to the Utah State Tax Commission.
In a press release, Heber spokesperson Ryan Bunnell said the city did not post the notice everywhere the state requires. Heber included information about the tax increase in its meeting materials and at the public hearings, but not on its main website.
Councilmember Aaron Cheatwood said the city accepts the tax commission’s decision.
“There’s a line in the sand, and we missed one, and we missed it, so nope, we’re not going to appeal,” he said.
The new rules were added during the 2026 legislative session.
The tax increase was meant to generate roughly $153,000 for the city. An $850,000 home would have paid about $15 more for the year.
Cheatwood said the city will need to rework its already-conservative budget to accommodate the denial of the tax increase.
“The reality is, there really wasn’t optional stuff,” he said. “It’s not like we are just ready to drop all the optional things. It’s going to take some negotiations. It’s going to take some, you know, can we hold off on that decision for six months while we do this instead? Can we fill in the gaps in different ways?”
Previous changes to state requirements led to confusion a year ago, too: 39 cities, school districts and special service districts had their tax increases denied, including Henefer and Oakley in the Wasatch Back.
Heber City is a financial supporter of KPCW.
Your support makes local stories like this possible. Donate now.
