Council trims proposed tax hike, sets rate costing median home $8.99 a month
August 30, 2022, 7:00 p.m. · American Fork City Hall, 31 N. Church St.
A week after a packed Truth in Taxation hearing, the American Fork City Council unanimously set a property tax rate of 0.001508, adding about $8.99 a month for a median $474,000 home instead of the proposed $9.99. Council members debated how to cover the gap; Councilmember Rob Shelton's proposal to cut a $198,000 arborist position and pull about $130,000 from roads to reach $8.30 died without a second, and any budget cuts will come back as a budget amendment. Several members backed pegging the rate to inflation in future years.
From the approved minutes.
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Fiscal 2023 property tax rate | Approved · 5-0 |
Agenda, item by item
Item 1 · Taxes and fees
Fiscal 2023 property tax rate
Approved · 5-0
Adopted a 0.001508 rate (up from the certified 0.001094), about $8.99 a month for the median home, down from the advertised 0.001554 ($9.99). Taylor said the city needed about $750,000 for police and fire raises and members wanted more for roads (Carroll targeted $1.5-$1.6 million in new revenue). Shelton moved for 0.001476 ($8.30) with the arborist position ($198,000-$200,000) cut and about $130,000 from roads; it died for lack of a second after legal counsel advised the motion address only the rate. Carroll opposed cutting the arborist because tree roots damage sidewalks. Mayor Frost cited a $750,000 public safety pay amendment the prior year.
- Budget$750,000
- Budget$200,000
- Certified rate: 0.001094
- Advertised rate: 0.001554 ($9.99/mo; 40% general fund property tax increase)
- Adopted rate: 0.001508 ($8.99/mo)
- Arborist position budget: about $240,000 including $40,000 maintenance/trees
- Sidewalk budget: $228,000 (up from $170,000)