Granite School District's proposed $21.1 million property tax increase goes before the public Tuesday, Aug. 18, at 6 p.m., and Millcreek families have three ways to make their voices heard at the hearing.

The Truth in Taxation hearing takes place in Auditorium A at the Granite Education Center, 2500 S. State Street. Board President Nicole McDermott will preside, and Budget Officer Todd Hauber will present the tax increase statement, according to the district.

The amended hearing agenda pegs the increase at $21,115,465, or 10.26% above the certified tax rate. That's slightly lower than the $21.7 million and 11.2% figure the board approved in June, though the district has not explained the revision.

Three ways to comment

In person: A sign-up sheet will be available in the foyer outside Auditorium A before and during the meeting, according to the district's live-stream page.

Via Zoom: Fill out the public comment form at graniteschools.org/board/public-comment/ and check the box for virtual comments. The district said it will email Zoom instructions to registrants.

In writing: Email comments to [email protected]. The district said written submissions will be entered into the official record.

What the money would fund

As we reported Aug. 12, the tax increase would fund K-2 class size reduction ($4 million), instructional coaches ($4.5 million), school rebuilds ($4.5 million) and school safety guardians ($1.6 million), among other priorities.

Why Millcreek families have a stake

The hearing comes as three Millcreek-area elementary schools face special education cuts for 2026-27. Morningside, Moss and Penn elementary schools each lost half a resource-teacher position, according to district data posted in July. District-wide, elementary paraeducator hours dropped 35.6% for 2026-27, from 8,263 hours per week to 5,322.

The district has cited a 78% increase in high-needs special education students since 2023-24 and more than $3.5 million in unattained revenue growth as factors driving those cuts.

How to watch

The hearing will be live-streamed on the district's website starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Viewers may need to refresh the page to see the video player once the stream begins.