By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Since the Juab School District is considering
obtaining a property on the south side of the community,
would it be possible to get a rebate or have the county
waive taxes on that property?
Lynn Abbott, Century 21, representing the people with
property for sale, wanted Juab County Commissioners to agree
to allowing such a scheme. Especially since the owners of
the property being considered were from the private
sector.
"The District is in the process of putting together an
offer," said Abott.
Since the offer would be considerably less than the
current asking price for the property, he said, the owners
were wondering if the county would allow property tax to be
abated for the time the owners possessed the property.
If the issue of eminent domain came up, he said, he
knew the money obtained for the property would be much less
than what the property owners were hoping to receive.
Fair market value is paid in such situations but that
may be less than what the owners had hoped to get.
"The commission have the authority to waive or abate
their share of the rollback," said Shirl Nichols, county
assessor. "They could not change the taxes for other
entities."
For example, he said, the school district would
receive approximately 70 percent of any property tax levied
on the property.
"Each entity would have to agree to abate or waive
their portion," said Nichols.
Neil Cook, commission chairman, said Abbott would need
to return after it was determined what dollar figure the
property was obtained for by the district before a decision
could be made on whether the tax abatement would be
allowed.
"There would not be a highway, airport, culinary water
delivery system, or sewer collection system without that
possibility (eminent domain)," said Robert Steele,
commissioner. "It can only be done when it is in the best
interest of the public and the entity exercising eminent
domain must still pay fair market value."
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