Saratoga Springs' $3.1 million tax increase is tied to police and fire staffing, not a station building

Saratoga Springs' City Council voted Aug. 11 to adopt a higher property tax rate and a final 2026-27 budget, according to draft minutes presented for approval at the council's Aug. 18 meeting. The city's notice said the change would raise $3,100,000 a year. ^[1][4]

The city's adopted budget calls it the city's first property tax increase since 2008. ^[5]

What the notice said

The city's notice of proposed tax increase said Saratoga Springs would increase its property tax budgeted revenue by 50.03%, excluding eligible new growth, for an additional $3,100,000 a year. ^[1]

For a $542,000 residence, the notice listed the city's portion of the tax rising from $291.54 to $437.31, or $145.77 a year. For a business property of the same value, it listed $530.08 rising to $795.11. ^[1]

The city's property tax impact schedule listed current property tax revenue of $6,200,539 and $9,300,539 with the change. It listed a current rate of 0.000978 and a proposed rate of .001467. ^[3]

The votes

Councilmember Emma Wilson moved to approve Resolution R26-44, adopting the tax rate for the general revenue fund, and Councilmember Edon Davenport seconded. Council members Audrey Barton, Davenport, Robert Taylor, Lance Wadman and Wilson voted yes, according to the draft minutes. ^[4]

Taylor moved to approve Ordinance 26-35, the final budget including the property tax rate increase, and Wilson seconded. The vote was also 5-0. ^[4]

During the meeting, Wilson noted that the new positions budgeted for had not been hired yet, according to the draft minutes. City Manager Mark Christensen said staffing related to the increase could not be hired until it was approved by the state. ^[4]

What the budget says it pays for

The adopted budget says the city determined it needed a third fire station and already owns land at its Public Works site for it, with construction anticipated to begin in 2027. ^[5]

It says the tax increase "does not pay for the actual building" and will go toward funding a portion of ongoing staffing costs for the future station. It also says the increase will add police personnel, and that the city will add four new police officers, a new police lieutenant and a new sergeant this year. ^[5]

The General Fund's property tax line rises from $5,893,444 in the budget's fiscal 2026 actual column to $9,167,946 budgeted for fiscal 2027. ^[5]

Two prior rates

The records give two figures for the prior rate. The impact schedule and the adopted budget's city manager message use 0.000978. A staff report in the Aug. 11 packet and the budget's property tax section use 0.000976. Both records give the new rate as 0.001467. ^[2][3][5]