Castle Valley held a public hearing on August 12, 2026, to discuss a proposed property tax increase for fiscal year 2027, according to meeting minutes published August 24.
Mayor Duncan called the hearing to order at 6:30 PM at the Castle Valley Community Center. The meeting was a hybrid session held both in person and via Zoom.
The proposed tax change would increase the town's property tax rate from .000864 to .001193. This change is intended to generate an estimated $73,666 in new property tax revenue, representing a 54.04% increase in revenue.
Current property tax income for the town stands at $134,850, while the proposed revenue with the tax change is estimated at $209,850.
During the public hearing, George Holling expressed concerns regarding the proposed increase. Holling stated that the town is seeking to double tax revenue since 2021, despite property values having approximately doubled during that time.
Holling also contested the median home price used in the proposal, suggesting that local homes sell for between $850,000 and $1.5 million rather than the $500,000 cited. Additionally, Holling raised concerns regarding expenditures on water studies, test wells, and road repairs on dirt roads.
The hearing included several community members present at the anchor site, including Dorje Honer, Colleen Thompson, Egmont Honer, Ron Drake, George Holling, Don Montioya, Ruth and Dennis Brown, Bill and Wendy Gustin, Greg Haliday, and Norman Llewellyns. Dave Prey was also present via Zoom.
