Roy residents will have the final say on a 34.25% property tax increase approved by city leaders in August, after a citizen-led petition successfully gathered enough signatures to place the issue on the November 3 ballot. Weber County Clerk-Auditor Ricky Hatch confirmed late Monday that the petitioners "met the requirements" for a referendum, which will now appear on ballots already set to be mailed to voters across Weber County starting Tuesday.
Roy City Manager Matt Andrews verified the news on Tuesday afternoon, and City Councilman Bryon Saxton also confirmed that Andrews had informed Mayor Ann Jackson and other council members of the petition's success. Councilman Saxton noted that the public will now have the opportunity to vote on the measure.
The petition drive was initiated by Nancy Inman and several other Roy residents, exercising their rights under state law to challenge the 34.25% property tax hike the City Council approved on August 11. Proponents of the increase argued it was essential to raise city employee wages to align with compensation levels in other cities. However, petitioners deemed the proposed hike excessive, leading them to seek a public vote.
To qualify for the ballot, the organizers needed to collect signatures from 1,786 registered voters in Roy. While they met this threshold, the exact number of signatures secured has not been publicly disclosed. Inman expressed concern Tuesday morning about the lack of formal communication from the city regarding the petition's success, particularly with ballots being distributed. She stated that citizens might not be aware they can vote on the referendum, which will be designated as Proposition 10.
City Manager Andrews clarified that Monday was a holiday, and city staff began preparing the formal notification on Tuesday. He added that the information would be officially provided to the petition sponsors and posted on the city's website on Wednesday. Andrews also emphasized the city's neutral stance on the upcoming vote, stating, "We respect the referendum process and will remain neutral on the question."
The Roy City Council initially considered a larger 54.9% tax increase, projected to generate an additional $2.81 million. This proposal was subsequently scaled back to the 34.25% increase, which is expected to generate an extra $1.75 million. This adjustment was made in conjunction with plans to transition the city's fire protection services to the Weber Fire District, a separate taxing entity. The council's vote in August to approve the 34.25% hike was 4-1, with Councilman Saxton casting the sole dissenting vote. Saxton explained his opposition, saying he "just felt like it was too much and too excessive and it would hurt a lot of people." Despite his previous stance, Saxton indicated he does not plan to take an active role in the ballot measure, believing it is "best left in the voters' hands." Mayor Ann Jackson did not immediately respond to inquiries for comment.
In a separate matter, the Roy City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing on October 20. The purpose of this hearing is to consider "adjusting the compensation" for elected and statutory city officials and "executive officers." City Manager Andrews stated that this meeting is being held to comply with state law. He stressed that the hearing is not intended to implement pay increases without the necessary revenue to fund them, and no pay hikes dependent on the current tax increase have been put into effect. Andrews further noted that none would be implemented until the city confirms the availability of funding. Councilman Saxton, while unsure of the meeting's exact purpose, affirmed he would not accept any personal pay increase, stating, "there is no way I'm giving myself any kind of pay increase, period." He suggested such an action could create further issues for the City Council.
Should Roy voters ultimately choose to rescind the 34.25% tax hike, the city would be required to reconfigure its 2026-2027 spending plan to account for the lost revenue. Councilman Saxton acknowledged that this outcome would make things "busy for the council."
