Davis Board Approves Property Tax Increase To Lift Teacher Salaries
Aug 7, 2019, 5:34 AM | Updated: 6:04 am
FARMINGTON, Utah — The Davis School District board unanimously approved a property tax increase Tuesday that the district hopes will help make teacher wages more competitive.
According to the district, the tax on a $338,000 home would go up $58.74 per year, while a business of the same value would see a $106.81 annual increase.
Just before the board voted, board member Gordon Eckersley acknowledged some people’s reservations about the tax hike.
“We need to pay our teachers a fair salary,” Eckersley said. “I also know the difficulties it is for many people to pay that increase on their property tax.”
With the increase, the starting teacher salary for 2019-2020 is slated to rise to $43,798, which the district said was a 7.65% increase.
During public comment, numerous people argued for and against the tax hike.
“I’m against raising these taxes because it’s hard on single women,” one woman exclaimed.
Another woman lamented the attrition that comes when salaries are not competitive.
“We are losing good teachers to other districts because of the situation,” she said, teary-eyed. “It’s so minimal. I don’t care if it’s a 10, I don’t care if it’s a 15% on that line item for our family. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to educate my kids.”
According to the district, the last time it raised property taxes was 2011.
