Understanding Utah County’s 2025 Property Tax Increase

By Rod Mann, Utah County Auditor

Like Thomas Jefferson, I believe that citizens of a constitutional republic have a responsibility to educate themselves about their government. At the same time, government agencies should be transparent and provide clear, timely information to the public.

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."—Thomas Jefferson to Charles Yancey, 1816

"And say, finally, whether peace is best preserved by giving energy to the government or information to the people. This last is the most certain and the most legitimate engine of government. Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. Enable them to see that it is their interest to preserve peace and order, and they will preserve them. And it requires no very high degree of education to convince them of this. They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."—Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 1787 (see page 332 in The Writings of Thomas Jefferson Vol II)

One question I’ve heard recently is: “Why didn’t the County hold a Truth-in-Taxation (TNT) hearing this year for the 2025 property tax increase?”

The answer has to do with fiscal years.

Fiscal Years: Cities vs. County

Most taxing entities—such as cities and school districts—follow a fiscal year that runs from July 1 to June 30. They are required to adopt their budgets by June 30. If their budgets include a tax increase, they must first hold a TNT hearing after property valuation notices are mailed to residents and before finalizing the budget.

Utah County is different. The County operates on a calendar-year fiscal cycle (January 1–December 31). That means the 2025 budget, including the property tax increase, was approved in December 2024. The TNT hearing for that increase therefore took place earlier in 2024.

Key Resources on the 2025 Tax Increase

To help you stay informed, here are links to information we’ve shared:

• Why did Utah County Propose a Tax Increase in 2025?
• Frequently asked questions about the tax increase.
• Information shared at the budget open house.
• Video of August 15, 2024, Truth-in-Taxation Public Hearing.

Clearing Up Misconceptions

While reviewing public comments from last year’s TNT hearing (watch here), I noticed several common misconceptions about how county government works and how past decisions affect today’s policies. To help clear things up, I’ll be publishing a series of blog posts in the coming weeks on:

• How to influence county government
• How property taxes work in Utah
• The county budget process
• Overview of county services

Listening to Public Concerns

To better understand community feedback, I compiled comments from last year’s TNT hearing, along with those from related news articles and social media. These are organized in a spreadsheet.

• Summary tab: A chart highlighting the main concerns raised.
• Comments tab: All comments, categorized, with additional factual context I’ve added (any errors or opinions are mine.)

Stay in Touch

If you have questions, please reach out.

📧 rodm@utahcounty.gov
📞 801-851-8124
🌐 auditor.utahcounty.gov