Taylorsville cost of living one of the lowest in state

According to new reports, Taylorsville residents enjoy a lower cost of living than many other Utah cities. Low cost of government and low water prices are among the most important contributing factors.

The Utah Taxpayers Association recently released a report that names Taylorsville as having the lowest cost of government per capita for cities in Utah with populations over 20,000.

According to the report, “The Utah Taxpayers Association regularly reviews the budgets and tax rates of Utah’s cities and counties. To provide a more systematic means of comparing how well elected officials in these cities and counties control public spending, the Taxpayers Association worked with the Center for Public Lands at Utah State University to measure the cost of government per capita. In broad terms, this study describes the cost of government per capita by dividing the total revenue from all sources by the population of the city or county.”

"One of the many things Taylorsville City does well is make every penny count. Even though our sales tax revenues are currently declining and we have not had an increase in property taxes for many years, the administration is effective at prioritizing," Taylorsville Public Relations Director Aimee Newton said.  

The price of government in Taylorsville is $378.76 per capita. By comparison, Orem’s cost of government is $596.91 and Salt Lake City’s is $1,233.66 per capita. The average cost for cities with populations over 20,000 was $728.62.

"The challenge in providing for public services is balancing frugality with the maintenance and preservation of the assets of the community. The infrastructure assets of the city are an investment that supports commerce, transportation, recreation, safety, and enhances our quality of life," City Administrator John Inch Morgan said.

The price of water in Taylorsville also contributes to the low cost of living.

"One way that we keep costs low is by contracting for many of our services," Mayor Russ Wall said. Taylorsville contracts with the Taylorsville-Bennion Improvement District for its water. The average annual household water bill through TBID is approximately $350, the lowest in Salt Lake County. West Jordan’s average annual water bill was over $500 and South Jordan had the highest at over $800.

This fall, the Taylorsville-Bennion Improvement District won an award from the American Water Works Association. They were chosen by a panel of experts in a blind taste test and received the honor of “Best Ground Water” in Utah and Southern Idaho. TBID recently drilled a new well to ensure it can meet the demands of its customers in the future. It is located on the east side of the Jordan River. TBID also hired a contractor to lay a pipeline to bring water from the well to the west side. Work began on the pipeline towards the end of November.