LOGAN – Pending a state-mandated Truth-in Taxation public hearing, the members of the Logan Municipal Council tentatively approved a city budget of more than $218 million for 2025-2026 Fiscal Year beginning July 1.
That budget will also tentatively include salary increases for city elected officials and a proposed 2.9 percent property tax increase.
The budget, which council member and mayoral candidate Mark Anderson termed “a conservative one,” was passed unanimously with little comment or input during a public hearing on June 17. The budget will remain tentative, however, until after the scheduled hearing where the public will be invited to weigh-in on the proposal.
Per state law, the aforementioned Truth-in-Taxation public hearing will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 7 in the Council Chamber of Logan City Hall, according to Richard Anderson, the city’s finance director.
Under Utah’s Truth in Taxation law — also known as TNT – governing entities are required to disclosure and hold hearings whenever they propose to increase property tax revenues.
It’s a “revenue-driven” law, meaning the requirement for a hearing is based on the taxing entity collecting more revenue than the previous year, not just on changes in the tax rate.
Anderson explained that, if the proposed budget is approved, Logan City would receive an additional $169,779 in property tax revenue per year as a result of the tax increase.
In term of impact on city residents, the tax increase would mean that the property tax on an average $518,000 residence would go from $254.99 to $262.68, an increase of $7.69 per year.
For business owners, the tax on a $518,000 enterprise would increase from $463.61 to $477.60, which is a jump of $13.99 per year.
The public notice of the Truth-in-Taxation hearing specifies that residents and business owners have the option to attend the Aug. 7 gathering either in person or by going online to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87025877682
Also approved by council members was Ordinance 25-09, which set salary schedules for elective officials, including the mayor and municipal council members.
As she did back in in May, Human Resource Director Ambrie Darley proposed that the mayor receive annual compensation of $124,693.40, plus a $6,000 vehicle allowance for travel expenses incurred while on city business.
That would represent a $2,599 increase over the $122,094 salary set for Mayor Holly Daines as of July 1, 2024.
For council members, the new annual salary proposed by Darley was $20,152.43, plus a $300 vehicle allowance.
That would represent a $1,039 increase over the $19,113 salary set for council members as of July 1, 2024.
Once again, that salary schedule was passed unanimously without further discussion.
The next meeting of the Logan Municipal Council is slated for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15.