Sandy homeowners will pay an estimated $27 more per year in property taxes after the Canyons School District Board of Education voted 7-0 on Tuesday, Aug. 4, to raise the certified tax rate to 0.005559.
The vote was unanimous.
The increase generates roughly $6.9 million in new revenue for the 2026-2027 school year and marks only the fourth time in the district's 18-year history that the board has adjusted the rate, according to the official board hearing summary. The board also granted final approval for the 2026-2027 budget, which had been tentatively adopted in June.
Correction: Our earlier coverage reported a 6-0 vote. The official board summary confirms all seven board members voted in favor.
Where the money goes
Business Administrator Leon Wilcox broke down the $6.9 million at the state-required Truth-in-Taxation hearing:
- $2.2 million funds a 0.75% cost-of-living raise for all Canyons employees. Under negotiated contracts with employee associations, those raises would not have taken effect if the board had rejected the rate change.
- $201,000 hires two Career and Technical Education teachers in manufacturing and engineering at the Canyons Innovation Center, a technical-training facility expected to open in 2027 at eBay's former regional headquarters in Draper.
- $4.5 million accelerates construction bond debt payments. As that debt is retired, the district plans to redirect those funds toward school-building repairs without additional tax increases for property owners.
For the average CSD home valued at $770,000, the increase works out to about $2.60 per month.
Public input and board response
Seven residents testified during the hearing's public-comment period, either in person, remotely or through written statements: Mischelle Polish, Richard Moore, Krista Pippin, Joey Cathcart, Anna McNamer, Erika Bradshaw and Benjamin Kiser.
Board President Amber Shill pointed to cost-cutting measures the district has taken in recent years, including transferring central-office personnel to school-based jobs, reducing administrative posts and consolidating departments.
The district began publicizing the proposed rate adjustment in May, when the tentative budget was released. Wilcox presented the proposal at multiple public board meetings before the Aug. 4 hearing.
What it means for Sandy families
Starting licensed-teacher pay in Canyons has risen from $50,000 in 2019-2020 to $65,825 for the coming school year, a 31.7% increase over six years, according to the district's May 2026 tentative budget.
Classes for grades 1-12 begin Monday, Aug. 17. Kindergarten starts Wednesday, Aug. 19.
