Tonight is the public hearing for a proposed Vernal City tax increase. Vernal City issued a press release stating that the sole purpose of the proposed tax increase is to pay for the Homeless Tax levied by the State Legislature. The State forces cities and counties throughout Utah to pay for services provided to the homeless shelters in Salt Lake County, Ogden and St. George. Vernal City’s share of the Homeless Tax is about $20,000 per year. Even with this increase, Vernal City remains in the lowest 10% property tax rates of Cities in the State. Vernal City taxes account for about 5% of your total property tax bill. If the Homeless Tax is eliminated or Vernal City becomes exempt, city officials commit to lowering the property tax rate similarly as was done in 2019. So how much will property taxes raise? The Vernal City tax on a $201,000 dollar residence would increase by $3.54 per year. The Vernal City tax on a $201,000 dollar business would increase by $6.43 per year. All residents are invited to the public hearing scheduled for tonight, August 4th, at 7:15pm in the Vernal City Building Council Room.
