Vineyard council holds August truth-in-tax hearing to consider property tax increase | News, Sports, Jobs

At its last meeting, the Vineyard City Council decided to hold a tax truth hearing to consider a property tax increase. The hearing will take place in August.

The proposal would set the certified tax rate at 0.003369, up from 0.002842 in 2023. For a home valued at $559,000, that would add about $164 a year or about $13 a month.

Vineyard financial advisor Laura Lewis said that as inflation continues to rise, the tax rate will decrease over time as the rate adjusts each year to generate the same income.

Kristie Bayles, the city’s finance director, said the increase was necessary to offset additional public safety costs as the city continues to grow.

During his presentation to council, Bayles said about $730,000 more was needed for the fire department and $434,000 for police. There was also a 6% increase in employee health insurance and cost-of-living adjustments for employee and elected salaries.

“If we do not raise taxes and use the general fund to finance the difference needed for public safety, it will bring our general fund balance down to 11 percent, which is not an acceptable level,” Bayles said.

Vineyard does not have its own fire or police department. Instead, the city contracts with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office and the Orem City Fire Department to provide those services.

Even with the tax increase, Bayles said it still won’t completely cover all public safety costs, with about 30% remaining to be covered, but an estimated increase in sales tax and building permit revenue should cover this amount.

Bayles said they estimated a 5 percent increase in sales tax revenue and a 26 percent increase in building permit revenue, which was attributed to the city’s continued growth.

Vineyard is building a fire station in the city, which will house Orem Department firefighters to increase response times in the city. This fire station is planned to be a temporary solution for approximately five to 10 years, after which the city plans to convert the current city hall into a fire and police department and build a new city hall.

Lt. Holden Rockwell of the county sheriff’s office addressed the council Wednesday evening, saying that as the city grows, he must continue to assign deputies to the area.

“The priority you have given us over the years and different boards has been to be a proactive police department, keep our response times short and provide a high level of service,” Rockwell said. “And to do that, almost every year I have to add new deputies because we’re growing and our demographics are changing. »

Rockwell said he will add another deputy in July and another in January. He also added that Vineyard had fallen below standard officer response times, which he said should be less than five minutes.

During council discussions on the budget, Councilman Jacob Holdaway questioned the need for tax increases, saying the city should consider cutting costs elsewhere, including highlighting funds spent on Community Appreciation Week. employees and the city’s partnership with the World Trade Center of Utah. Holdaway voted against approving the budget and holding a public hearing on the proposed tax rate.

Councilwoman Mardi Sifuentes said she understands Holdaway’s concerns, but they have already cut some positions, including refusing requests for new employees from various city departments. She also added that cutting capital projects to fund day-to-day operations like public safety is not sustainable for the budget.

“I understand the concern,” she said. “It’s not like this isn’t a noble cause to try to save money for residents. I understand that. I look at the budget and I feel like we’ve made adjustments.”

When considering capital projects in the city, Councilwoman Sara Cameron asked the council to consider holding a town meeting specifically to show residents what projects the city is working on and provide transparency on what is spent.

The truth-in-tax hearing, required by state law, is scheduled for Aug. 14 at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 125 S. Main St.

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