Property Taxes & Our Seniors
Let's talk Property taxes. I believe I have a record to run on, and that matters. It’s one thing to say the right things, it’s another to make decisions and actually do something. One of the biggest issues we’re dealing with is the cost of living, especially for those on fixed incomes. The county doesn’t control property tax law, but we looked at what we could do locally and made changes. We expanded the senior property tax abatement and nearly 100 additional senior households qualified for relief. Take a minute to watch the video below where I walk through that.
Before running for State House, Luke has:
Fought against legislative efforts to eliminate senior property tax relief
Opposed SB 174 in 2025, which would have eliminated the program. It was ultimately vetoed
Opposed SB 78 in 2026, a similar effort that failed in the House
Committed that in his first year to fix late appeal deadlines for primary residences and strengthen relief protections for seniors and ensuring fairness for all taxpayers.
“As County Treasurer, I’ve worked with Luke to expand our senior property tax relief program, including raising the income limit so more residents can qualify. He has supported these efforts countywide and stood against attempts at the state level to eliminate them. Luke will continue to fight for seniors and taxpayers in the legislature.”
A lot of candidates throughout Utah are talking about reforming or eliminating property taxes. I agree that property taxes come with real downsides, and I would like to see a path where they can eventually be eliminated. We also have to be honest about the fact that they currently fund essential local services and real reform means building a better system, not just making it a talking point. On the County council, I have successfully fought to increase property taxes as a county, asking for cuts, prioritizing needs over wants, and using other sources of revenue. I was disappointed that we didn’t see meaningful relief or real reform come out of this last legislative session. I’ve worked to actually do something about it on the local level, and I’ll continue that work if you choose to send me to the state legislature.
All the best,
Luke Searle