ROY, Utah — Property taxes are going up in Roy after a vote late Tuesday night. The Roy City Council voted to increase property taxes by 34 percent, saying the increased revenue is needed for personnel wage increases and cost-of-living adjustments.
"Please, live with less, live within your means, the planned budget. We are not your endless piggy banks,” said one person who opposed the rate increase at Tuesday’s Truth-In-Taxation hearing.
Although most people opposed the increase, some were in favor and said they understood the need to make up a little over $1.7 million.
"This Roy boy is willing to pay what it costs,” said someone who supported the increase, adding that it is important to pay employees a fair wage and can help reduce turnover.
Emotions ran high at the meeting.
“I like Roy, but it feels like I’m starting to spite it because I now take money away from my family to pay for other people's family,” another person said.
The tax hike that passed 4-1 is lower than the initially proposed increase, which was approximately 55 percent. The revenue shortfall came down with the Roy City Fire Department being annexed into the Weber Fire District, changes to Roy Days, and some new revenue.
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"I was going to come up here and kind of rip into you guys a little bit for the 55,” said one person, who said he agrees with the lowered tax increase. “I feel like that’s fair; I feel like that’s doable for a lot of people.”
Some people argued that even though their Roy City taxes have come down, their county taxes will go up to support the Weber Fire Department. While some people suggested saving money by reducing the amount of money the city spends to support the Roy Recreation Complex and Aquatic Center by trimming wasteful spending there and finding a way to make it profitable, others asked council members to not get rid of community spaces that may not bring revenue into the city, but are beneficial for residents.
"I think there should be other ways to generate income by inviting businesses to come to Roy, maybe increase the sales tax,” suggested Joe Fowler, who runs a generational restaurant in Roy called Burger Bar. “I do think 35 percent increase is kind of excessive.”
On average, the increase would be about $130 per year on a primary home and $240 for a business.
Public comment went on for almost two hours, and then council discussed the budget for about two hours after that.
"I want to be very clear: I have not taken this trip down budget lane lightly,” said council member Alexis Jackson.
"There isn’t an employee position, expense, revenue source or program that hasn’t been examined,” said fellow council member Diane Wilson.
Council member Bryon Saxton — the only council member to oppose the tax increase, which passed 4-1 — said he wanted to bring taxes down even more.
"My plan was to provide a compromise between the 50 and what I felt was fair,” Saxton said. “What I came up with was a 27 percent tax increase."
That would include moving one-time funds from reserves for this year, so the council would have to increase taxes again next year and decided to go with the 34 percent increase instead.
They did forgo cost-of-living adjustments for city council members, saving about two cents per month per household.
"I have to wonder, what happens next year?” questioned a resident. “If the city raises taxes this year, will we be sitting in this exact same room next year being told that they need another 25 percent increase? At what point does the city address the underlying problems instead of repeatedly asking the residents for more?”
