Fundamentals of the Proposed Property Tax Increase

The tentative budget for fiscal year 2016 (FY16) includes the addition of three police officers. Two of the officers would be funded out of FY16 revenue increases. Mayor Curtis hopes to fund the third officer from an increase in property taxes. The City Council approved the property tax increase at their June 16 meeting and will be holding a Truth in Taxation hearing in August.

Here are some of the fundamentals of this property tax increase:

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Comment below (requires Google+ account), on our Facebook page, through our online comment form, or by contacting Council Members directly. Comments/input on items appearing on an upcoming meeting agenda will be compiled and provided to Council Members the day before the meeting. **Note - your comments will be part of the public record.

Summary of the June 16 Council Meetings

In the Work Session

GIS Mapping Tool:
Provo City Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide spatial data, analysis, mapping, and applications to city departments and citizens to improve efficiency and decision making. Phil Uhl, GIS Administrator, and Stan McShinsky, Systems Analyst, gave a demonstration to Council Members of the GIS Home mapping tool accessible to City employees.

Provo residents can also access several different online maps that provide information relevant to their home address, local parks, election results, and Provo City construction. Here are links to those maps:

• Main map: http://maps.provo.org/ (information relevant to Provo homes)
• Election Results Map (Shows results as they come in): http://electionmap.provo.org/
• Park Finder (find a park by the amenities you are looking for): http://parkfinder.provo.org/
• Latest Provo City Construction: http://maps.provo.org/construction/

Provo City Council Work Session - June 16, 2015

Agenda  (Times have been added to the ends of the individual agenda items to help you find them in the video.)

What Do You Think of the FY16 Budget?

On Tuesday, June 16, 2015, the City Council will vote to approve the Provo City budget for Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16). The Council Meeting that evening includes a public hearing and we invite you to let us know what you think of the budget for our next fiscal year.

Can't make it to the Council Meeting? There are several other ways to share your thoughts with the City Council. Contact Council Members directly, submit your comments via our online form, or connect with us on our Facebook page.

Neighborhood Updates

Neighborhood Chairs receive a variety of email notices from Provo City and then have to decide what to pass along to the residents in their neighborhoods. Some residents have mentioned that they'd like to see all the notices, unfiltered.

A new blog has been set up where general items being sent from the Council office to the Neighborhood Chairs will be posted. You can even subscribe via email to receive the updates as they are posted. We hope this will help more people to stay in touch with what's happening in Provo.

The Neighborhood Program Updates blog also includes links to helpful resources and information about Provo's Neighborhood Program.

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Comment below (requires Google+ account), on our Facebook page, through our online comment form, or by contacting Council Members directly. Comments/input on items appearing on an upcoming meeting agenda will be compiled and provided to Council Members the day before the meeting. **Note - your comments will be part of the public record.

Officer Appreciation Lunch

To celebrate National Law Enforcement Week, one of Provo's Neighborhood Chairs organized a lunch in Pioneer Park for police officers and their families as well as Neighborhood Chairs and their families.

Beth Alligood, Lakeview North Neighborhood Chair, coordinated with Janna-Lee Haigh from the Community Oriented Policing (COP) Program to bring everyone together.

Your Voice is Important

In every community you will notice that people participate in government at a variety of different levels. It ranges from those who live their lives without ever voting or giving input on an issue to those who run for office, and everywhere in between. A recent Daily Herald opinion piece by Jamie Littlefield discussed becoming a "city creator" rather than a "city consumer." She emphasized the value of being informed and getting involved to influence the direction of our city.


People living in Provo have a lot of options for not only getting information, but sharing their ideas, suggestions, and feedback. The Provo City website, provo.org, has an amazing amount of information and you can always call 311 to have one of our customer service reps help you. The City Council has this blog, newsletters, and social media channels to allow people to receive information and communicate in the way most comfortable for them. Watch  live and recorded Council meetings from the comfort of your own living room, share your thoughts with the Council on Facebook, or even Tweet your question to the Council.

Summary of the June 2 Council Meetings

In the Work Session

FY2016 Provo City Budget:
Council Members continued discussing the proposed Provo City budget, hearing analysis from Council staff and recommendations from the Citizen's Budget Committee. Alternative options were presented to allow the Council to consider the impact of each option and how it aligns with the Council's policies.

Provo City Council Work Session - June 2, 2015

Agenda  (Times have been added to the ends of the individual agenda items to help you find them in the video.)

Utility Rate Increases in the Budget

When Mayor Curtis submitted the proposed FY2016 Provo City budget to the City Council it included utility rate increases to fund ongoing operational and capital improvements throughout the city. Curtis also explained that, "a percentage of the increases will fund portions of the ERP computer software and Fleet facility."

In an effort to keep utility rates low, upgrades and replacements for the aging infrastructure have been delayed. Utility rates were raised as part of last year's budget but the City realized it wasn't enough to cover the needs in Public Works. The proposal included in the proposed budget calls for a monthly average rate increase of $65.56 by the end of the five-year period.

Proposed Rate Increases from FY2016 - FY2020
	FY16	FY17	FY18	FY19	FY20	Total
Water Rate Increase	$5.63	$3.74	$3.21	$2.05	$2.15	$16.78
Wastewater Rate Increase	$5.78	$5.84	$5.12	$7.68	$7.22	$31.64
Sanitation Rate Increase	$0.35	$1.04	$2.18	$1.20	$1.26	$6.03
Stormwater Rate Increase	$1.43	$0.49	$0.37	$0.39	$0.25	$2.93
Energy Rate Increase*	$2.18	$1.50	$1.50	$1.50	$1.50	$8.18
Combined Monthly Increase	$15.37	$12.61	$12.38	$12.82	$12.38	$65.56
* Proposed Energy Rate Increases in FY17-FY20 are based on approx. 2% inflation