Ogden Valley council backs massive property tax increase pending Supreme Court review

Ogden Valley’s City Council voted 3-2 to move forward with a budget that includes a property-tax increase of as much as 512.6%, which would add $2.48 million to the new Weber County city’s revenues for fiscal year 2026-2027. The hike would raise the average homeowner’s tax from $104.85 to $640.51. The plan follows a truth-in-taxation hearing but faces legal obstacles after the Utah State Tax Commission ruled the city ineligible to raise taxes due to a missed incorporation deadline last January.

A district judge upheld that ruling, and the city is now appealing to the Utah Supreme Court, which has not yet ruled. Councilwoman Kay Hoogland said officials have a “skinny budget” ready, funded partly by a new transportation utility fee earmarked for road projects, though it would bring in less revenue than the proposed tax hike. The council members supporting the increase were Hoogland, Don Hickman and Tia Shaw, while Peggy Dooling Baker and Chad Booth opposed it. The large tax proposal stems from overly optimistic sales-tax forecasts and underestimated startup costs in the feasibility study that led to the city’s formation.