The Uintah County Commission approved a tax rate on Wednesday that will keep taxes the same as citizens paid in 2016. The topic flared up last week when a tax rate was presented to the Commissioners that would increase the cost to property owners by $6 dollars on a $100,000 dollar home or $11 dollars on a $100,000 dollar business. Members of the community showed up in force at the last two Commission meetings largely expressing their opposition to any raise in taxes. During Wednesday’s meeting, Commissioner Stringer provided some history on the county stating that in 1996 Uintah County collected $3.5 million dollars in taxes and had zero debt. Stringer explained the easiest way to account for the increase in the budget to nearly $14 million dollars is the acquiring of $55 million dollars in debt. The path forward, he said, includes deciding how to live up to the obligations already made. Commissioner Shepherd emphasized the need to identify which services the citizens consider a priority in order to identify what areas of the budget to cut. After several failed motions, Commissioner Horrocks made a motion to accept a rate of .003409 that will not increase property tax amounts but will require the county to make approximately $631,000 dollars in cuts to the budget. Commissioner Shepherd said based on information and feedback he had received that day he would second it. The motion passed unanimously. Commissioner Stringer said the adjustments to the budget will be explored and addressed over the next 6 months.
