Draper homeowners face an extra $117 a year in city property taxes if the City Council approves a 25% rate increase at its Tuesday, Aug. 18 meeting. The vote is set for 7 p.m. at City Hall, 1020 East Pioneer Road.

The council will hold a final public hearing and then vote on the FY2027 budget, which raises the city's tax rate from 0.000902 to 0.001128. The increase would generate roughly $2.7 million in new annual revenue, according to the city's public hearing notice.

City staff have said the money is needed to cover rising police and fire costs and to stop drawing down the city's rainy-day reserves. Without the hike, the city would pull an additional $2.46 million from its fund balance, budget documents show.

For a typical Salt Lake County home valued at $941,000, the city portion of the tax bill would rise about $9.75 a month. For homes in the Utah County portion of Draper, a residence valued at $838,000 would see a $104 annual increase, according to the Utah County tax notice.

What's in the budget

The $54.1 million General Fund is up 2.6% from last year. Police gets $14.3 million (a 5.8% bump) and fire gets $8.5 million (up 6.9%). Three new firefighter positions, replacing overtime reliance, account for $415,000 of the fire increase. Playground maintenance funding jumps from $130,000 to $200,000.

Personnel costs across all departments total $32.6 million, a 6.7% increase and the budget's largest line item.

Third year in a row

This is the third consecutive year Draper has held a Truth-in-Taxation hearing, a fact the Utah Taxpayers Association flagged in an Aug. 4 press release that identified 67 taxing entities statewide proposing a combined $93.6 million in new property tax revenue.

"Property-tax increases should never happen on autopilot," Billy Hesterman, president of the Utah Taxpayers Association, said in that release. "Truth-in-Taxation hearings give taxpayers a chance to ask why more revenue is needed, how the money will be spent and whether elected officials considered alternatives."

At the Wednesday, Aug. 12 Truth-in-Taxation hearing, residents objected to the increase. Speakers cited the rising cost of living and the burden on fixed-income homeowners, and several argued the city should cut discretionary spending rather than raise taxes.

The council took no vote.

Also on Tuesday's agenda

The council will hold a separate public hearing on a Town Center zoning text amendment that would allow at least one residential unit on smaller properties in the Town Center zone. The change, application 2026-0175-TA, amends Chapter 9-11 of the municipal code. City Planner Todd Taylor is the staff contact.

How to weigh in

Residents can attend in person at City Hall or participate via Zoom. Written comments can be sent to City Recorder Nicole Smedley at [email protected]. For budget questions, contact Finance Director John Vuyk at (801) 576-6318 or [email protected].

As we reported Aug. 15, the council's five members — Kathryn Dahlin, Michael Green, Bryn Heather Johnson, Tasha Lowery and Fred Lowry — will cast the binding vote under Mayor Troy Walker. The certified tax rate must be submitted to the County Auditor by Sept. 1.