A fifth-generation Utahn and Peoa resident, Cindy Keyes is seeking a second term as Summit County auditor.
She says one of the auditor’s most important jobs is to process property value and tax appeals.
Keyes saw a deluge of those appeals in her first year in office, as county assessors looked to make up for what they said were years of undervaluations.
“The appeals increased 134%, and it was a lot to learn and take in and get a hold of. But since then, I feel like the board of appeals has been one of our things that we've done really well,” Keyes said.
Keyes also touted improvements to the paperwork property owners receive about their taxes, including charts and a better explanation of where their taxes go and how to apply for exemptions.
She said her office reaches out to local nonprofits proactively to remind them to apply for property tax exemptions. In 2025, she said 100% of nonprofits renewed their exemption benefit for the second year running.
But, she added, there’s more to the job than just its role in the property tax system.
“I get a lot of people who ask me what the auditor does, and I've kind of narrowed it down to: I feel like the auditor is the taxpayer’s watchdog,” she told KPCW in an interview. “We make sure that the tax bill is calculated correctly, your appeal rights are protected, and your money is handled accurately and lawfully.”
That’s something she’s confident she can do in a second term. Keyes said she’s running to build on the progress from her first term.
The Democrat was formerly the business manager for the Summit County Department of Health. Her more than two-decade career in accounting and finance spanned both public and private sector jobs before that.
The other countywide offices on the Nov. 3 ballot are county attorney, clerk and sheriff. Districts 4 and 5 in western Summit County outside Park City proper will elect county councilmembers too.
