OGDEN, Utah — In a civil but emotional hearing on Tuesday evening, the Ogden City Council voted to increase property taxes by 16.6%, as the room packed with residents heard from city workers pushing for pay hikes and city residents tired of higher taxes.
The workers argued that Ogden paid less than most other cities for comparable jobs, while most residents praised the workers but said inflation and other proposed tax hikes were going too far.
The 16.6% was a concession from the original proposal of 18.8%, which would have included a pay increase for elected officials.
After scrapping that provision, the council unanimously passed a 14% raise for firefighters, 8% for police (who received an increase in October, 2021) and 13% for other city workers.
The tax increase would add about $70 to the annual tax bill of a homeowner with a $400,000 dollar property.
