OCR Text |
Show Levy Up 3.61 Mills Total property tax rates for city, county, school, and other purposes increased in Panguitch this year by 3.61 mills, according to an analysis prepared by Utah Foundation, the private tax research organization. The study points out, however, that the tax rate is only one part of the formula that determines the property tax burden. Equally important is the assessment or valuation place on the property for tax purposes. Local assessments or valuations were substantially changed this year as a resultt of adjustments ordered by the State' Tax Commission and the 1981 Utah Legislature. In addition, five counties (Daggett, Duchesne, Morgan, Rich and Wasatch) were completely revalued this year under the wind-up of the state reappraisal program. According to the Foundation report, approximately 51.7 percent of total' property taxes charged in Panguitch this year will go for school purposes, 28.4 percent will go for municipal purposes, 13.7 percent for county purposes and 6.3 percent for special district purposes. A comparison of 1980 and 1981 levies in Panguitch by purpose is as follows: By comparison, Panguitch mill levies for municipal purposes in 1980 were 12.30, and for 1981, 15.38; for local schools in 1980 were 27.55, and for 1981, 28.03; for county in 1980, 8.50, and for 1981, 7.41; and for special districts in 1980, 2.27, and for 1981, 3.41. Total for 1980 was 50.62 and for 1981, 54.23. Over the past decade, average property tax rates' in Utah generally have declined. Between 1970 and 1981,-for example, the average overall mill levey in the 70 cities included in the Utah Foundation survey dropped by 21 percent. In most instances, however, this reduction in the property tax rate was more than offset by assessment increases resulting from the revaluation program and the assessment adjustments ordered for 1981. These assessment increases were a partial recognition of the inflation that has occurred in real estate values over the past decade. Thus, while total property tax bills generally have risen, they are a smaller percentage of market value today than they were in 1970. The analysis shows that homeowners in Salt Lake, Carbon, Garfield, Wayne, and some parts of Sanpete, Sevier, and Summit counties generally paid lower property tax bills this year. These counties had been revalued in recent years and had relatively high assessments to market value. In most of the other counties of the state, property taxes were higher this year because of valuation and levey changes. An examination of the 1981 tax rates levied in 70 major Utah cities reveals that the overall rate declined in 38 cities and rose in 32 cities. In general, mill rate declined in those counties that had an upward adjustment in property assessments and rose in counties where local valuations were adjusted downward this year. Throughout these 70 Utah cities, the average overall mill levy declined by 2.56 mills from 72.09 mills ($72.09 per $1,000 assessed valuation) in 1980 to 69.53 mills in 1981. The 1981 Utah Legislature attempted to restrict property tax increases this year by placing a 6 percent limit on the added taxes that local units could realize from the higher valuations. This 6 percent limit applies, however, only in those counties where the assesments were raised by 10 percent or more by the valuation adjustments. Furthermore, the limit does not apply to new property added to the tax roll, to the basic school levy, nor to the levies imposed for servicing bonded debt. In addition, this limit applies only during the year that the valuation adjustments are made. |