'Typo' may have overvalued Utah home at nearly $1B

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah officials say a possible dropped phone resulted in a typo that overvalued a home for almost $1 billion.

And taxpayers may have to pay for the mistake.

The Deseret News reported a house built in 1978 in an unincorporated area of the county was recorded in 2019 tax rolls with a value of more than $987 million. That’s an overestimate of about $543 million in taxable value.

Wasatch County Assessor Maureen “Buff” Griffiths told officials last month a staff member may have dropped a phone on a keyboard. Griffiths said the accident has resulted in a countywide overvaluation of more than $6 million.

Griffiths added the blunder also produced revenue shortfalls in five taxing entities.

Wasatch County officials say residents will likely see an increased tax rate over the next three years to make up for the lower amount collected in 2019.