August 12, 2022 – Community Visioning Project, Property Taxes, Summit County Fair & Easton Corbin



In today’s episode we’ll talk about:

    • An upcoming Community Visioning Project
    • Frequently asked questions about property taxes 
    • Details of a jam-packed weekend at the Summit County Fair in Coalville 
    • The upcoming Easton Corbin Concert on Labor Day Weekend

Community Visioning Project 

At Council this week, the Communication and Public Engagement Department, the Planning Department and the Interim County Manager shared next steps in kicking off a Community Visioning Project that would inform and guide the next 20+ years of planning and strategic focus in Summit County. 

The goal of this project is to reveal the community’s priorities and vision for Summit County’s future. Council emphasized that gathering responses from groups and individuals who are traditionally underrepresented or who have not engaged in these planning and visioning processes in the past should be a top priority throughout the process. 

Over the past two months, County staff have worked to finalize the scope of this project. The next step is to begin the selection process for a consultant that will work with County staff to develop, implement, analyze, and present findings surrounding the public’s feelings and perceptions around topics such as growth, development, open space, sustainability, community values, and more.

The goal is to present findings by September of 2023. Stay tuned on more about this process in the coming months. 

Property Taxes

A hot topic among Summit County residents this month has been property taxes as many households saw large increases in the values of their homes. So, let’s take a couple minutes to go over how property taxes are determined.  

First, the Assessor appraises the market value of a property using a “mass appraisal” system, where each individual property has a “detailed review” every 5 years, but is appraised every year using sales of comparable properties in the area. 

The Auditor’s job is to calculate the tax rates for each taxing authority based on the Assessor‘s valuations using the certified tax rate formula set by the Utah State Tax Commission. 

You are not alone in asking “Why did the value of my home go up so much in one year?” so let us explain: The County saw 58% growth in single-family home sales prices in fiscal year 2021 and an additional 11% growth in fiscal year 2022.

You may also be asking…”Well, what do my property taxes pay for?” Property taxes go to around 15 different public taxing entities to pay for public services such as schools, fire protection, drinking water, roads maintenance, trash and recycling, and more. Some Summit County municipalities (cities) and special service districts (such as schools and water districts) also increased their tax rates to help fund the services they provide. Keep in mind: 56% of your dollars are allocated for school funding alone. 

OK so now you’re saying, “I disagree with my property tax value. What can I do?” First ask: Can I sell my home for the market value listed on my tax notice? You can find this out by contacting a realtor. If not, you can file an appeal through the Board of Equalization. You can file an appeal up to 5:00 p.m. on Sept. 15, 2022 through the Auditor’s Office. To download the appeals form visit: www.summitcounty.org/BOE.

Some taxpayers may be eligible for property tax relief or deferral. For information on these programs contact the County Treasurer’s office or visit: www.summitcounty.org/Treasurer. (Select Property Tax Relief in the left-hand column.)

That was a lot of info on property taxes. We have it all written out on summitcounty.org. You can peruse the web pages for the Assessor, Auditor and Treasurer to learn more. 

Summit County Fair   

The Summit County Fair is underway and runs through Saturday, August 13th! There’s plenty to do and see these next few days in Coalville at the Summit County Fairgrounds! 

Watch cowboys and bucking broncos at two nights of PRCA rodeo, experience rides and games at the carnival, grab a picture with fair royalty, check out home canned goods, flowers, vegetables and art created by Summit County residents.

This Saturday is jam-packed with fun including: a parade down Coalville’s Main St. at 10am. Round out the evening by attending the PRCA rodeo at 8pm. The rodeo is a paid, ticketed event so visit summitcountyfair.org and go to the events tab for ticketing details. 

Easton Corbin   

Lastly, Summit County is proud to present country music artist Easton Corbin in concert at the Summit County Fairgrounds on September 3rd at 8:30 PM!   

Opening artists Honkey Blue Tonkey, Triggers and Slips, and Jagertown will also join in on the fun! Tickets are on sale for $25 at summitcountyfair.org under the events tab! we hope to see you there!