Editors Note: This article was originally published in the July 26, 2023 issue of the Chronicle Progress. Some information may be outdated.
Fitch steps into role after Manis retires, property assessments go out
Millard County’s new tax assessor is already fielding phone calls related to property tax assessments going out across the county—most homeowners can expect a healthy increase this year in their property taxes.
New Interim Tax Assessor Lora Fitch said last year’s hectic residential real estate market is likely the driving factor in this year’s tax increases.
“The taxes you pay this year are based off of what last year’s values were,” she said. “The crazy market that we had last year, that’s what your taxes are reflecting.”
Fitch was nominated by the county’s Republican Party July 11 to replace retiring assessor Pat Manis, who served in the elected role since 2011. He had one year remaining in his term before deciding to step down.
Fitch is a certified appraiser who spent the last four years as one of Manis’ deputies. Before that she was a deputy city recorder for Delta City for more than five years.
She said she plans to run for the office officially next year.
With all the angst over property taxes again this year, Fitch is quick to remind the public that her office doesn’t set the tax rates—all she does is set the value of real and personal property.
“Your taxes are not set by us,” she said. “We focus on valuation of land and property, both real and personal. We are not the office that sets the tax.”
She said taxpayers should look to the school district, county commission, and the various special districts since they actually set tax rates.
The Delta High graduate is originally from Sandy, but has lived in Millard County for the past two decades.
She attended Utah State University in Logan and served a year abroad after graduating.
Fitch says she enjoys working with numbers and interacting with the public. She says performing property evaluations in Millard County is unique in many respects compared to other parts of the state.
“The houses out here in Millard County are fascinating. It’s a little different than in a lot of other places. You don’t have cookie cutter subdivisions. You can have a house that’s over 100 years old next to a house that’s a year old,” she said. “Millard County is a little unique in that way.”
When she’s not working, Fitch said she loves gardening and spending time outdoors.
County commissioners are expected to make her appointment to assessor official in the coming weeks.
While elected tax assessors have three years from the time they win election to earn their appraisal license, those appointed to replace them must already have obtained one, Fitch said.
Her ascension to the top spot means there’s now an opening at the assessor’s office.
“We are going to be looking into hiring another appraiser or appraiser trainee,” she said. “We’re not going to require that they are licensed, we will help them get licensed.”
Fitch said candidates should be comfortable interacting with the public, be familiar with Millard County and be detail-oriented, among other qualities.
