August will bring public hearings for Heber and Hideout, where property tax increases are on the agenda.
Heber leaders opted to raise property taxes to cover a budget deficit. The average household can expect to pay about $37 more for the year. Heber residents can share their feedback at a hearing Aug. 20 at 7 p.m.
Hideout is proposing a 30% increase in property taxes, or about $68 more for the year. Town residents can attend a public hearing Aug. 8 at 7 p.m.
And the Central Utah Water Conservancy District plans to raise taxes by a little under 3%, or about $6 per year for a typical home. The district’s public hearing at its headquarters in Orem is Aug. 27 at 6 p.m.
All Wasatch County residents have until Sept. 16 to appeal their property tax estimates.
Wasatch County clerk-auditor Joey Granger encourages homeowners to check their property value notices as soon as they arrive, gather evidence needed to appeal and immediately contact her office.
“We are definitely here to try and help people understand the process and help them get through,” she said. “We want to make sure that the people that are doing it know what’s required of them.”
She said the tax appeal process changed this year, with simplified paperwork and automatically scheduled hearing dates.
“That means there probably isn’t going to be a whole lot of leeway with rescheduling,” Granger said. “If people can’t make that or if they choose not to be here, then it will still be put in front of a hearing officer who looks at all that information and evidence and will make his best judgment on that information that’s provided.”
Final property tax notices will be mailed to residents Oct. 30, and taxes are due Nov. 30.
Last year, Wasatch County heard about 2,000 appeals. About 80% resulted in some change, whether in the value or the classification of the property.
Appeal applications can be submitted through Sept. 16 on the county clerk’s website. Residents can get paper forms at the county government building.
