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In The Middle of Everything
City Hall – 7505 South Holden Street • Midvale, UT 84047
Midvale Monthly with Mayor Gettel
Property Taxes 101 and the FY2027
Every June, the Midvale City Council begins the process of adopting the City budget for the coming year. It’s one of the most important responsibilities we have because it determines how we maintain services, invest in infrastructure, and continue supporting the community we all call home.
Property taxes are a major part of that conversation, and they can also be one of the most misunderstood topics in local government. My goal is to help make the process a little easier to understand and explain why Midvale is discussing a proposed property tax adjustment this year.
Understanding the FY2027 Tentative Budget
The Fiscal Year 2027 tentative budget was presented to the City Council on May 5 and May 19. The budget is considered tentative because several important numbers are still pending. For example, Salt Lake County does not release the Certifed Tax Rate until early June.
Transparency matters to us, and resident input is an important part of this process. Midvale City will host two open houses where residents can ask questions, learn more about the budget, and provide feedback: June 2 at 6:00 p.m. and June 16 at 6:00 p.m. at Midvale City Hall. The fnal budget is scheduled for adoption during the Truth in Taxation Hearing on August 11, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.
CITY NEWSLETTER
According to the tentative budget, Midvale is experiencing a $153,000 reduction in state mitigation grant funding that has historically helped support police services. Without replacing that funding, the City could face reductions in police stafng and services.
In addition, the cost of contracted police services is projected to increase by 2.92% for Fiscal Year 2027. To help maintain current service levels, the tentative budget includes a proposed public safety property tax adjustment estimated at about $34 annually ($2.83 monthly) for the average household.
We understand residents and families are already feeling fnancial pressures. Before considering any tax adjustment, the City worked to reduce spending in other areas of the budget to help minimize the impact on residents while continuing to protect essential services.
Where Does Midvale City’s Money Come From?
Budget
So, if your property tax bill changes, it does not always mean the City increased taxes. Changes in property values, voter-approved bonds, school district rates, and other taxing entities can all afect your bill.
2. Primary residences are taxed diferently than secondary or business properties.
In Utah, residents pay taxes on 45% of the market value of their primary home, whether it’s a house, condo, or apartment. Secondary homes, rental properties, and commercial properties are taxed on 100% of their value.
3. Both residents and businesses contribute to the property tax system.
Property taxes are shared across residential and commercial properties throughout the city. That means shifts in property values can afect how the tax burden is distributed:
• If commercial property values decrease, residential properties may carry a slightly larger share.
• If residential values decrease, businesses may carry a larger share.
4. Midvale City receives only a small portion of your property tax bill.
Cities operate much like a household or business. We rely on several sources of revenue to provide the services residents use every day. Midvale’s primary funding sources include:
1. Property taxes
2. Sales and other taxes
3. Fees and fnes
4. State funding
Sometimes those funding sources change. Costs increase. State funding is reduced. Infrastructure ages. Public safety costs rise. When that happens, cities must either fnd another way to fund those services or reduce them. That’s why conversations about property taxes matter.
Four Things to Know About Property Taxes
1. Rising property values do not automatically mean the City collects more money.
This is one of the biggest misconceptions about property taxes.
Under Utah’s certifed tax rate system, Midvale generally receives the same amount of property tax revenue from existing properties each year unless the City Council votes to increase it through a public process. For example, if the City collects $200,000 one year, the certifed tax rate is adjusted so the City would collect roughly that same amount the next year from existing properties, even if property values increase.
If property values across the city rise, the tax rate goes down. If property values fall, the tax rate goes up. The goal is to keep the overall amount collected relatively stable.
Many residents are surprised to learn that Midvale City receives only about 10% of the total property tax bill.
The rest supports other agencies and services, including:
• Canyons School District
• Salt Lake County
• Salt Lake County Library
• Unifed Fire Service Area
• South Salt Lake Valley Mosquito Abatement District
• Other local service agencies
In The Middle of Everything
Midvale City Public Works Director Glen Kennedy Retires
We eat, drink, fush, drive, and walk on Public Works every day The sign of a good system is that you don’t notice that it’s there. The fact that you don’t know much about our retiring Director Glen Kennedy might be his greatest success.
Kennedy has spent the last eight years oiling the machine of Midvale Public Works, from mapping out every inch of the water and sewer system, to designing a better system for employees. His team made sure water fowed to your tap, snow stayed of your roads, city vehicles kept running, and the parks stayed cared for. They handle nearly anything else that holds daily life together
“It’s a large job to coordinate all of those eforts,” Matt Dahl, Midvale’s City Manager said. “We have a highly trained and motivated staf, increasing their training, getting certifed. All of that is to make sure that when you turn that tap on, you get that clean water.”
Kennedy has also been the frst one on the phone during
MAYOR’S MESSAGE CONTINUED
You can view your property tax information and see where your taxes go by visiting: SaltLakeCounty.gov/Property-Tax/Notice-of-valuation. All you need is your address. Updated notices are typically available in July and include information about proposed rate changes and upcoming public hearings.
What Does Midvale City Pay For?
Midvale City serves more than 37,000 residents every day. The City budget helps fund services and infrastructure that keep our community safe, connected, and functioning, including:
• Police services
• Roads and sidewalks
• Clean water
• Sewer and stormwater systems
• Parks and trails
• Sanitation and streetlighting
• Animal services
any emergency. Blizzards, broken pipes, fooded streets: He was the frst one making calls to get things fxed. He coordinated crews, made quick decisions, and kept things moving until the problem was solved. It was the kind of work that no one notices when it goes right.
In between the crises, he created Midvale’s frst water and sewer master plans, giving the city a roadmap for taking care of its pipes and water systems for decades ahead.
The people who worked alongside him say that what set Kennedy apart wasn’t the plans or the projects. It was how he showed up for the people around him.
Two managers, Levi McNeill and Roland Garcia, have a combined 32 years of service in Midvale. They echoed the sentiment that Kennedy wasn’t just a “man behind a desk.” He got along well with everybody and appreciated the work they did. He will be missed,” McNeill said. “He’s defnitely for the people; he’s helped me grow in my career,” Garcia added.
That loyalty ran both ways. When something mattered to his people, it mattered to Kennedy. He pushed hard for a new
• Community programs and events
• Government operations
• And much more
These are the services many of us rely on every single day, often without thinking about them until they’re needed.
As your mayor, I believe residents deserve clear information about how City fnances work and how decisions are made. We know every dollar matters to families and businesses, and we take that responsibility seriously. Midvale will continue working to balance responsible budgeting with maintaining the essential services our community depends on.
I look forward to your questions and input as we move through this process. Please plan to join us at one of our upcoming open houses on June 2 or June 16 at 6:00 p.m. at Midvale City Hall. These are open conversations, and we want to hear from you directly.
Public Works building, vehicle shop, and storage center — a long-overdue upgrade that will give crews what they need to take better care of the city and the people who live in it.
Jerimie Thorne, who will step into the director’s role after serving as Kennedy’s deputy, has worked alongside him for 15 years across South Jordan and Midvale. “He’s always been amenable to listening to new ideas,” Thorne said, “and to not just being a boss but helping people grow — open to ideas that might be just as good or better than his own.”
Glen Kennedy retired on June 11. Now, for the frst time in a long time, his phone will stay silent. You might fnd him out on the ice with a fshing line dropped in, or in the feld on a hunting trip, trading city calls for the sound of the wind. He’s looking forward to being home more, present in a way the job never quite allowed, and to slow Saturday nights out with his wife, two proud foodies with nowhere else to be.
The water is still running. The roads are clear. You probably didn’t notice, and that’s exactly how he wants it.
JUNE 2026 CITY NEWSLETTER
MIDVALE. UTAH. GOV
Employee Spotlight: Kate Andrus —Redevelopment
When you walk down Midvale Main Street you are seeing the fruits of the Redevelopment Agency (RDA), and the work of Kate Andrus. From the new hanging streetlights, the food truck plaza and the yearly events, Andrus is behind the success that has continued the transformation from blight to vibrant.
“She’ll always get it done and she’ll get it done well,” Nate Rockwood, Midvale’s Assistant City Manager said. “She really takes a lot of care and puts a lot of detail and efort into making sure it’s done right.”
Andrus came to Midvale by way of the Peace Corps, a master’s degree in International Development, and a stint coordinating volunteers for Ragnar races — a background that might seem far from city government, but makes perfect sense when you understand what drives her.
“I’m actually in a position where I’m working one-on-one with people in the community,” Andrus said. “I want Main Street to be something that the community can be proud of — something that’s theirs and they can claim.”
The RDA team takes care of the three project areas: Midvale Main, Bingham Junction, and Jordan Blufs. Each area needs special attention in diferent ways.
“Kate is very good at taking a vague concept and turning it into an actual plan that gets things done,” Rockwood said. “Her position is key in making sure development stays on track and authentic.”
City growth is inevitable, but not at the community’s expense. Andrus’ makes sure that it means something when it arrives, and that it’s something positive for the residents. The RDA is committed to making the neighborhoods places where people belong and feel proud of.
That’s the work underneath the work. The grant programs and development agreements are just the tools.
Making Teir Mark: Te 2025-2026 Midvale Youth Council
The Midvale Youth Council is an opportunity for local juniors and seniors to get to know their community and local government from the inside out. They learn project and budget management, see how Public Works takes care of residents on a daily basis, learn how the City Council and Mayor make policy, and connect with state government leaders.
Instead of sitting in a classroom, they learn by doing. This year, they completed service projects like hygiene kits for The Road Home, and made personalized Valentines in English and Spanish for the Senior Center.
“They also practiced public speaking exercises; talking to council has been a really good practice,” Midvale City’s Uplift Coordinator, Vanessa Guevara, said. “We were able to talk to UFA (United Fire Authority) about how they respond to emergencies. One of their calls is actually rescuing ducks as opposed to rescuing cats.”
of this year’s group and we can’t wait to see what they do next.
The youth also met with UPD (Unifed Police Department) and got to see the equipment they carry each day.
These experiences carry their minds to their place in the community. They learn how they can contribute as residents, and also open their eyes to future careers.
Shatakshi Sinha, Midvale Youth Council 20252026 Secretary was excited by what she learned. “I didn’t realize how much I didn’t know about the city that I live in,” she said. ”I have found so many new things to appreciate — police ofcers, frefghters, public works ofcers— and I have learned how they truly work together to keep our societies running. I am really glad I joined Midvale Youth Council!”
Each youth council has their own experiences and grows in their own way. We are so proud
“It was just such a pleasure to see so many kids take leadership, “ Guevara said. “Every cohort has been diferent in their own way. All of it’s wonderful. It’s a testament for the community here in Midvale City.”
Congratulations to our outgoing members!
Laila Quiroz
Dylan Martin
Parthi Rajesh Balaji
Haroon Javid
Vitalia Sun
Jasmine Martinez
Vishnith Ashok
Genesis Varas
Emma Brown
Sameep Shrestha
Jordan Cervantes
Shatakshi Sinha
Mariel Orellana
Talia Funk
Harith Sathish
Keerthana Perla
Jimena Olvera Gasga
Samhita Chavakula
Frida Bustos
Bhavya Rai
Jaswitha Jadapalli
Ishanth Sooram
Agency of Midvale City, Director
RDA Program Manager Aubrey Christensen sees that work up close every day. “She’s that sound mind behind everything,” Christensen said. “Kate has been an integral part of getting our events up and going.”
Drawing on her experience with Ragnar, she brought a practical knowledge of event logistics and community outreach to each event. “All of our events have gotten better,” Christensen said.
The events are more than just a good time. They are one of the most direct ways the RDA team connects with the people they serve. “We bring a lot of really positive, community-driven energy,” Christensen said. “The loans, the grants, the opportunities we ofer open up a friendlier door and allow people to feel a little more comfortable working with a government agency.”
When she fnally does step away from it all, Andrus goes looking for a trail. She hikes, camps, and hauls her spouse and two little kids into the Uintas every chance she gets — dry camping, no amenities, exactly the way she likes it. In the spring and fall it’s southern Utah. When the stress of the job piles up, she cross-stitches. “It’s cathartic,” she said.
Whether she’s on a trail with her kids or at a table with a business owner trying to get more customers in the door, Andrus brings the same thing: she shows up, she listens, and she gets to work.
