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Show Coyrafty feces 134Q22itjerifIiri hUi m eqyaiozavoosn drive Uintah County property taxpayers could be faced with a 144.06 percent increase in 1981 taxes if assessed valuations are raised to 20 percent and mill levies remain the same as last !)year. After a directive from Governor ' Matheson to equalize all counties in the Estate to assess properties at 20 percent 'of 1978 values, the State Tax Corn-emission Corn-emission ordered all counties to follow the directive. I The taxing move will raise an estimated $34 million for school support and could act as a windfall for local governments if they choose not to lower the mill levy. 4 In 1980 the average locally assessed ureal property in Uintah County was ' fiisted at the 7.02 percent level. In-' In-' (creasing this level to 20 percent for 1981 iwould mean a terrific tax increase, if '.the mill levy remained the same as in 11980. The only relief the county could receive would be to lower the mill levy. i In 1973 Uintah County was reappraised reap-praised by the state to the 20 percent level. At the present time State Tax Commission personnel are working in the Uintah County Assessor's office reappraising all real property for the 1982 tax year. But for 1981 the county will need to update the tax take by an pstimated 144 percent increase to follow the state tax directive. Duchesne and Daggett have recently received their reappraisal adjustment to the 20 percent rate and will already be at the equalizing rate for 1981 taxes. A 1980 sales ratio study of the Tax Commission determined that a number of counties, even though reappraised with the 1970's, had seen such a growth in property values that assessed valuations were no longer a true indicator in-dicator of property worth. Properties that were adequately appraised for tax purposes in 1974 could have appreciated to double the market value by 1978, leaving their assessed valuations at half the desired 20 percent level, David L. Duncan state tax chairman said. The state is involved because through the system of statewide equalization of school support funding, the state picks up part of the tab that local school districts cannot raise through their 24-mill levy (the statutorily required minimum taxing effort). Where a county is assessed at well under its required 20 percent, it, in effect, is not putting out the effort that it should, and is shifting its tax burden onto the shoulders of those counties assessed closer to 20 percent. Mr. Duncan said that counties should apply a multiplication factor to their current real property assessed valuations, though individual amendments amend-ments may be made so long as the total desired increased in reached. County assessors have until May 20 to incorporate the new figures into their tax rolls, Mr. Duncan said. Meanwhile, the Legislature will probably have acted to set new, lower, mill levy limits or to limit overall revenues in order to reduce the impact to the taxpayer of the sudden statewide assessment equalization, he said. Normally, equalization is to occur through a 1969 law requiring counties to reassess property levels every four years. The program, although termed successful by Commissioner Duncan, has not brought about the equalization and the state is now forced to do it through its legal power. |
