Farmington residents have one more chance to weigh in before the City Council votes to raise property taxes by nearly 5%.

The council will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, at City Hall, 160 S. Main St., then vote on two resolutions: one adopting the final FY 2027 tax rate and one adopting the final budget, according to the official meeting agenda.

The hearing is the last step required under Utah's Truth in Taxation law before the council can lock in the rate.

What the increase means for homeowners

The proposed 4.99% increase would raise the city's property tax rate from 0.001506 to 0.001581, generating an additional $285,108 in revenue. For a typical $790,000 home, the city's annual property tax bill would climb from $654.36 to $686.94. That's about $33 more per year. Commercial properties at the same valuation would pay roughly $59 more annually.

All new revenue is earmarked for the Fire Department, which added three full-time firefighters and converted its Fire Marshal position from part-time to full-time in January 2026. City budget documents cite increased call volume and response times below industry standards as the driving factors. The department's budget would grow from $3,239,473 to $3,524,581.

City Manager Brigham Mellor told the council at its May 5 meeting that the increase is part of a four-year plan. "The plan is to do a 5% property tax increase each year for four years, which will help staff two fire stations," Mellor said.

Councilmember Scott Isaacson noted at the same May 5 meeting that Farmington's city tax accounts for about 15% of a typical resident's total property tax bill, with the Davis School District taking the largest share.

The council unanimously approved the proposed rate on June 16, with councilmembers Roger Child, Scott Isaacson, Melissa Layton and Kristen Sherlock voting in favor.

How to participate

Residents can attend in person or join virtually via Zoom (Meeting ID: 860 0554 4531). Virtual participants who want to speak must click the "Raise Hand" button found under "Reactions" on Zoom's toolbar. Those who do not raise their hand will not be given the floor.

Written comments can be emailed to City Recorder DeAnn Carlile at [email protected]. Public comment is limited to approximately three minutes per speaker.

Residents needing disability accommodations should contact Carlile at 801-939-9206 at least 24 hours before the meeting.

As we reported Aug. 4, slowing sales tax growth is a key driver behind the increase: after gaining nearly $1 million per year in FY 2021 and FY 2022, Farmington's sales tax revenue growth dropped to $283,000, then $182,000, then $173,000 in FY 2023 through FY 2025.

The hearing begins at 7 p.m. Aug. 18. The agenda lists only the public hearing and the two budget resolutions as business items.