Barbara Christiansen - North County Staff | Posted: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 11:00 pm
A.F. clarifies tax increase
Don't panic.
That's the message from American Fork city officials, who say the increase in city taxes listed in the tax notifications received in the mail last week are not accurate.
Those figures are based on a 46 percent increase which the city submitted to the county in time to make a printing deadline, and represented a worst-case scenario.
The actual increase will be closer to 14 percent. That is if there is no change in the market value of a home; in many cases those values were reduced from the previous year.
Mayor Heber Thompson explained.
"We really aren't anticipating that much of an increase," he said. "Because of an early deadline and the county having to have it in time to print, they printed the maximum that could be included. Our property tax increases are going to be significantly less than that."
The city's portion of the tax on a $240,000 home would increase from $292.12 to $333.56, a raise of $41.44 per year or $3.45 a month. The amount the county published was $153.91 per year, nearly quadruple the actual amount the city anticipates.
Residents are invited to comment at a public hearing Tuesday at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 31 N. Church Street.
Thompson said the city had sent a mailer all residences explaining its views.
"I hope everyone reads the mailer and comes out to the hearing to get the best information," he said.
In addition to the proposed property tax increase, which the City Council could impose, there will be several items on the November ballot for voters to choose whether they want to spend money for bonds to do projects. They include purchasing land for an expansion of the cemetery, road and transportation issues and finishing Art Dye Park. Those items will be addressed at a later date.