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Pocatello Residents: Do You Think Your Taxes are High Now? Check Out the FY2022 City Budget

John Crowder
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July 24, 2021

Pocatello Resident:  Do You Think Your Taxes are High Now?  Check Out the 2022 City Budget

By:  John Crowder

John Crowder, Publisher, Pocatello-Chubbuck Observer

You’d be hard pressed to find anyone living in Pocatello who is unwilling to voice concern about their ever-increasing property taxes.  With all the commenting on social media, you’d think the recent budget development workshops that have been undertaken by the Pocatello City Council would be packed with citizens demanding that every expenditure be scrutinized to the penny and that a search for cost reductions be made in every department.

You’d be wrong.

Virtually nobody has attended the meetings.  The exception is the two founders of Pocatello for Accountable Government Entities (P.A.G.E.), who continue to show up, seek answers, and diligently post budget documents on their Facebook page.

Fortunately, it’s not too late to find out what is going on.  Videos of the meetings are posted on the City’s website, at:  Agenda Center • City of Pocatello • CivicEngage

Here’s a tip.  View the meeting that took place on July 8.  This one has it all.  A projected $400k+ spending deficit potentially balloons to over $1.6 million with a proposal to add the top three asks from City Manager’s nonbudgeted, “Needs Not Included In Budget Draft” requests.  Talk of layoffs take place on one hand and building a new city hall on the other.  Projected maintenance expenditures for City Hall are bumped up from $75,000 to $300,000 per year.
Click on the image to visit the P.A.G.E. FB Page
If you reside in Pocatello, you’re rapidly approaching your last chance to weigh in on City spending for FY2022.  The proposed budget, which includes the full 3% increased property tax revenue ask (although City Council says this is only precautionary, they don’t really intend to ask for any more property tax revenue) has been published.

 

So, it’s time to speak now, or forever hold your peace.  If you don’t, your City government might soon be taking a lot more of your money.

Learn more about the City of Pocatello budget.  Visit the P.A.G.E. Facebook page, here: 

Pocatello for Accountable Government Entities, FB

 

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