LOGAN – To borrow a turn of phrase from Shakespeare, the Truth-in-Taxation public hearing held by the Logan Municipal Council on Aug. 11 was much ado about nothing.
The city’s department heads came to that gathering loaded for bear to justify the need for a proposed property tax increase and a tentative budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, but faced only polite opposition from a handful of local residents.
During the public hearing on Resolution 26-19 covering the 22.95 percent property tax increase, fewer than a half-dozen residents queued up to voice concern about the $1.36 million in new revenue that will fund constriction of a new fire station in the northwest portion of the city, the hiring on a new police officer and street light improvements.
Despite being invited by Council Chair Mike Johnson, no one volunteered to speak during the subsequent public hearing on Resolution 26-20 that governed the city’s $222 million budget for next year.
After much discussion with Finance Director Richard Anderson and Chief Jeff Simmons of the Logan City Police Department, both resolutions passed unanimously by members of the municipal council.
Council member Ernesto López said that he would prefer to be passing a tax break for residents, but felt that it was his duty as a good steward of public dollars to fund city improvements before inflation ended that opportunity.
Anderson matter-of-factly defended the need for the tax hike, noting that the inflationary cost of construction materials for the proposed northwest fire station are skyrocketing.
Back in 2005, he said, Logan built Fire Station 71 in the Hillcrest neighborhood for $600,000 and Fire Station 72 near the Logan River Golf Course for $875,000 in 2012.
Following the runaway inflation of the COVID pandemic and the Biden Era, however, the construction of the new Fire Station 70 in the downtown area cost $5 million.
Simmons also defended his police department against criticism from residents concerning the use of official vehicles and the need for adding a new police officer to its payroll.
While Logan has traditionally had 60 officers on its payroll, Simmons said that he cut the sworn staff down to 56 to allow him to redistribute funds to boost salaries and benefits for the remaining staff.
While acknowledging that $100,000 of the $1.36 million in new revenue will be devoted to hiring a single new officer, Simmons emphasized that is simply a reflection of the present reality.
When he joined the LCPD in 1995, the chief explained that his salary was less than $10 per hour. Nowadays, a salary of $30 an hour for patrol officers is standard in order to recruit and retain professional law enforcers.
Under questioning about the need for city street lights, Anderson explained that lighting in residential and commercial areas was a liability issue.
On paper, the recently improved increase would raise the property tax on the average city residence with a market value of $530,000 from $257.10 to $316.28, which is $59.18 per year.
That increase also raises the property tax on a commercial property with an equal market value from $467.46 to $575.05, which is $107.59 per year.
But city officials say that the tentative tax increase approved by the members of the Logan City Council on Aug. 11 will be offset by a corresponding decrease in county property taxes.
“This means that Logan residents, on average, will not see an increase in the amount of the property taxes they pay, but will now enjoy the full benefit of those taxes,” according Anderson.
Those benefits will include a new first station, a new police position and improved street lighting.