HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/21/2026 - Work Session - Meeting MaterialsSALT LAKE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA
WORK SESSION
May 21, 2026 Thursday 1:00 PM
Council meetings are held in a hybrid meeting format. Hybrid meetings allow people to join online or in person at
the City & County Building. Learn more at www.slc.gov/council/agendas.
Council Work Room
451 South State Street, Room 326
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
SLCCouncil.com
No Formal Meeting
Please note: A general public comment period will not be held this day. This is the Council's monthly scheduled
briefing meeting.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS:
Alejandro Puy, Chair
District 2
Erika Carlsen, Vice Chair
District 5
Victoria Petro
District 1
Chris Wharton
District 3 District 4
Dan Dugan
District 6
Sarah Young
District 7
The Work Session is a discussion among Council Members and select presenters. The public is welcome to listen. Items scheduled on
the Work Session may be moved and / or discussed during a different portion of the Meeting based on circumstance or availability of
speakers.
The Website addresses listed on the agenda may not be available after the Council votes on the item. Not all agenda items will have a
webpage for additional information read associated agenda paperwork.
Generated: 08:50:35
Welcome and public meeting rules
Note: Dates not identified in the project timeline are either not applicable or not yet determined. Item start
times and durations are approximate and are subject to change.
For more information on the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget, visit the Council’s
hub: link.slc.gov/slcfy27.
Click Here for the Mayor’s Recommended Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27.
Work Session Items
1.Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget: Department of Public Lands ~ 1:00 p.m.
45 min.
The Council will receive a briefing about the proposed Department of Public Lands
budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27.
FYI – Project Timeline: (subject to change per Chair direction or Council discussion)
Briefing - Thursday, May 21, 2026
Set Public Hearing Date - Tuesday, April 21, 2026 and Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Hold hearing to accept public comment - Tuesday, May 19, 2026 and Tuesday, June 2,
2026 at 7 p.m.
TENTATIVE Council Action - TBD
2.Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget: Golf Fund ~ 1:45 p.m.
45 min.
The Council will receive a briefing about the proposed Golf Fund budget for Fiscal Year
2026-27.
FYI – Project Timeline: (subject to change per Chair direction or Council discussion)
Briefing - Thursday, May 21, 2026
Set Public Hearing Date - Tuesday, April 21, 2026 and Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Hold hearing to accept public comment - Tuesday, May 19, 2026 and Tuesday, June 2,
2026 at 7 p.m.
TENTATIVE Council Action - TBD
3.Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget: Fleet Fund ~ 2:30 p.m.
30 min.
The Council will receive a briefing about the proposed Fleet Fund budget for Fiscal Year
2026-27, which provides vehicles, fuel, and vehicle maintenance and repair services for
all City departments. Fleet also maintains over 2,700 pieces of equipment.
FYI – Project Timeline: (subject to change per Chair direction or Council discussion)
Briefing - Thursday, May 21, 2026
Set Public Hearing Date - Tuesday, April 21, 2026 and Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Hold hearing to accept public comment - Tuesday, May 19, 2026 and Tuesday, June 2,
2026 at 7 p.m.
TENTATIVE Council Action - TBD
4.Tentative Break ~ 3:00 p.m.
20 min.
FYI – Project Timeline: (subject to change per Chair direction or Council discussion)
Briefing - n/a
Set Public Hearing Date - n/a
Hold hearing to accept public comment - n/a
TENTATIVE Council Action - n/a
5.Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget: Department of Public Services ~ 3:20 p.m.
45 min.
The Council will receive a briefing about the proposed Department of Public Services
budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27.
FYI – Project Timeline: (subject to change per Chair direction or Council discussion)
Briefing - Thursday, May 21, 2026
Set Public Hearing Date - Tuesday, April 21, 2026 and Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Hold hearing to accept public comment - Tuesday, May 19, 2026 and Tuesday, June 2,
2026 at 7 p.m.
TENTATIVE Council Action - TBD
6.Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget: Fire Department ~ 4:05 p.m.
45 min.
The Council will receive a briefing about the proposed Fire Department budget for Fiscal
Year 2026-27.
FYI – Project Timeline: (subject to change per Chair direction or Council discussion)
Briefing - Thursday, May 21, 2026
Set Public Hearing Date - Tuesday, April 21, 2026 and Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Hold hearing to accept public comment - Tuesday, May 19, 2026 and Tuesday, June 2,
2026 at 7 p.m.
TENTATIVE Council Action - TBD
7.Tentative – Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget: Property Tax
Impact Schedule TENTATIVE
-
The Council will discuss the proposed property tax impact schedule that was received
with the Mayor’s Recommended Budget for Salt Lake City for Fiscal Year 2026-27,
including reviewing and discussing the items proposed for funding through a property tax
increase.
FYI – Project Timeline: (subject to change per Chair direction or Council discussion)
Briefing - Recurring Briefing Through May and June 2026
Set Public Hearing Date - Tuesday, April 21, 2026 and Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Hold hearing to accept public comment - Tuesday, May 19, 2026 and Tuesday, June 2,
2026 at 7 p.m.
TENTATIVE Council Action - TBD
Standing Items
8.Report of the Chair and Vice Chair -
-
Report of the Chair and Vice Chair
9.Report and Announcements from the Executive Director -
-
Report of the Executive Director, including a review of Council information items and
announcements. The Council may give feedback or staff direction on any item related to
City Council business, including but not limited to scheduling items.
10.Tentative Closed Meeting -
-
The Council will consider a motion to enter into closed meeting. A closed meeting described
under Utah Code Annotated (UCA) Section §52-4-205 may be held for specific purposes
including, but not limited to discussing:
a. discussion of the character, professional competence, or physical or mental
health of an individual.
b. strategy sessions to discuss collective bargaining.
c. strategy sessions to discuss pending or reasonably imminent litigation.
d. strategy sessions to discuss the purchase, exchange, or lease of real property,
including any form of a water right or water shares, if public discussion of the
transaction would:
(i) disclose the appraisal or estimated value of the property under
consideration, or
(ii) prevent the public body from completing the transaction on the best
possible terms.
e. strategy sessions to discuss the sale of real property, including any form of a
water right or water shares, if:
(i) public discussion of the transaction would:
(A) disclose the appraisal or estimated value of the property under
consideration, or
(B) prevent the public body from completing the transaction on the best
possible terms.
(ii) the public body previously gave public notice that the property would be
offered for sale, and
(iii) the terms of the sale are publicly disclosed before the public body
approves the sale.
f. discussion regarding deployment of security personnel, devices, or systems.
g. investigative proceedings regarding allegations of criminal misconduct.
A closed meeting may also be held for attorney-client matters that are privileged pursuant to
Utah Code § 78B-1-137, and for other lawful purposes that satisfy the pertinent
requirements of the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act.
CERTIFICATE OF POSTING
On or before 5:00 p.m. on _____________________, the undersigned, duly appointed City
Recorder, does hereby certify that the above notice and agenda was (1) posted on the Utah Public
Notice Website created under Utah Code Section 63F-1-701, and (2) a copy of the foregoing provided
to The Salt Lake Tribune and/or the Deseret News and to a local media correspondent and any
others who have indicated interest.
KEITH REYNOLDS
SALT LAKE CITY RECORDER
Final action may be taken in relation to any topic listed on the agenda, including but
not limited to adoption, rejection, amendment, addition of conditions and variations
of options discussed.
The City & County Building is an accessible facility. People with disabilities may make requests for
reasonable accommodation, which may include alternate formats, interpreters, and other auxiliary
aids and services. Please make requests at least two business days in advance. To make a request,
please contact the City Council Office at council.comments@slc.gov, 801-535-7600, or relay service
711.
COUNCIL BUDGET
STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL of SALT LAKE CITY
SLC Budget FY27
TO:City Council Members
FROM:Allison Rowland
Public Policy & Budget Analyst
DATE:May 21, 2026
RE: FY2027 BUDGET – DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC LANDS
MAYOR’S RECOMMENDED BUDGET: Key Changes, pages 57-58; Department Overview, pages 235 to
244; Staffing, pages 313-317
KEY ISSUES
The proposed Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget for the Department of Public Lands (DPL), including the Golf
Fund, would surpass $65.1 million, which is 8.4% ($5.1 million) higher than in FY26. The increase would be due
primarily to a $4.4 million (16.7%) jump in Golf expenditure, funded by accumulated Golf CIP funds from
previous years. (Note: Golf CIP is not related to General Fund CIP, and is generated by surcharges on player
rounds.) The Parks Division would add another $1.1 million (5.8%) to the overall Department increases.
As in FY26, Golf CIP spending would represent the largest increase among all the spending categories for the
Public Lands Department in FY27 (see chart below). This growth would be less than in FY26, but still brings
Golf’s FY27 budget to nearly the same size as the rest of the department’s divisions combined. The DPL’s largest
$0
$5,000,000
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$20,000,000
$25,000,000
$30,000,000
$35,000,000
Golf Parks Trails and
Natural Lands
Urban Forestry Public Lands
Administration
Planning and
Design
FY25 Actual
FY26 Adopted
FY27 MRB
Trends in Public Lands Divisions
Item Schedule:
Briefing: May 21, 2026
Budget Hearings: May 19, June 2
Potential Action: TBD
Department of Public Services
2
expenditure category, Personnel Services (pension and merit changes, salary adjustments, and insurance rate
increases), would grow by 3.2% ($853,177), the lowest in at least the past five years. Growth in Charges &
Services (payments for utilities and other contracts) would grow by 5.9%. Operations and Maintenance spending
would see a slight decline from FY26. See below, for additional information on public land maintenance levels.
sales tax increment
and, in FY27, a share of the proposed property tax increase. The remainder of this staff report focuses on them.
PUBLIC LANDS GENERAL FUND
sales tax increment contributing $2,429,939 to this total, and the FY27 property tax
(if adopted) adding $908,118. This represents a 1.8% increase above the FY26 budget amount—much slower
growth than the 10.3% increase from FY25 to FY26.
$0
$5,000,000
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$20,000,000
$25,000,000
$30,000,000
Personnel
Services
Capital
Expenditures
Charges &
Services
O & M Debt Principal Debt Interest
& Fiscal
Charges
FY25 Actual
FY26 Adopted
FY27 MRB
Shifts in Public Lands Expenditures
Department of Public Services
3
Among the five Public Lands Divisions which rely on the General Fund, the share of the Parks Division would
slightly increase from FY26, to 59% of the total, growing by nearly $1.1 million to $19.9 million for FY27 (see
figure below; additional information on each division is in section E, below).
Proposed Funding Changes for Divisions in the Department of Public Lands
FY25
Actual
FY26
Adopted
FY27
MRB
FY26-27
Change
Parks 16,782,282 18,884,099 19,974,362 5.8%
Public Lands Administration 4,515,968 4,649,657 4,256,616 -8.5%
Trails and Natural Lands 3,762,885 4,183,047 4,225,458 1.0%
Urban Forestry 3,876,454 4,004,802 3,868,675 -3.4%
Planning and Design 1,443,193 1,776,020 1,782,040 0.3%
Total $30,380,782 $33,497,625 $34,107,151 1.8%
STAFFING LEVELS
“clear operational need for
the position.” It also reported that the department has reduced personnel-related expenditures in the last six
months of FY26 while filling critical staffing needs, and that seasonal and hourly employees were not affected by
the freeze. For FY27, the proposed budget would result in one fewer FTE on balance than in FY26, though two
new FTE positions would be created using hours previously used by seasonal employees: one would be added to
Public Lands Administration as a Communications Coordinator; and another would be added to the Trails and
Natural Lands Division as a Senior Natural Resource Technician.
Policy Question: While converting seasonal employee hours to fund FTEs is technically
budget-neutral, it does seem to limit the department’s traditional budget flexibility should
it need to make larger funding cuts in future years. Unlike the number of FTEs, the need for
seasonal hours can (presumably) rise or fall depending on unpredictable weather patterns,
as well as overall funding levels. Would the Council like to discuss how Public Lands
weighed this loss of flexibility against the need for these new FTEs?
(Note: On page 34 of the FY27
MRB, it states that 2 FTEs would be added, which is correct but no cuts are mentioned there.) At the same
time, the title and salary grade of a large number of FTEs would change as the result of FY26 Citizens’
Compensation Advisory Committee (CCAC) market pay adjustments, as well as a handful of positions being
redefined as a higher or lower grade.
Proposed Staffing Changes in Department of Public Lands Divisions
FY25
Actual
FY26
Adopted FY27 MRB Change
FY26-27
Parks 84.85 78.00 78.00 0
Public Lands Administration 19.85 21.00 22.00 1.00
Trails and Natural Lands 32.15 32.00 30.00 -2.00
Department of Public Services
4
Urban Forestry 18.00 18.00 18.00 0
Planning and Design 11.00 11.00 11.00 0
Total 165.85 159.85 158.85 -1.00
Department of Public Services
4
Department of Public Services
5
POLICY QUESTIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
1.New-Property Maintenance Funding. In the past, certain DPL divisions had to take on new
maintenance responsibilities each year as properties were added to the Department’s roster
throughout the City. Beginning with the FY23 budget, Funding Our Future revenues have helped
close this gap. In addition, beginning in FY26, there is a specific line-item in the Department’s
proposed budget for this purpose (New Properties: Seasonal Staff Salaries).
For FY27, the new properties that have been handed over to the Parks Division for
FY27 maintenance are completely funded through the property tax increase. This will include
$311,600 for seasonal salaries, $278,945 for operational costs and $117,573 for contractual costs.
2.Adequately Maintaining SLC’s Public Lands. In May 2023 the Department prepared and
presented an analysis titled Adequately Maintaining SLC’s Public Lands in response to an FY22
Council Legislative Intent. At the time, it estimated what would be needed to fully fund ongoing
maintenance for all its properties (including those in the Golf Division) and concluded that $35.4
million would be needed for one-time costs, along with $10.2 million and 54 new FTEs on an
ongoing basis. This analysis is not expected to result in immediate budgeting for these amounts, but
rather to aid the City’s elected officials in annual budget considerations and inform incremental
steps in coming years.
Policy Question: The Council may wish to ask for an updated estimate of these
dollar amounts and staffing estimates.
B.Utilities, Contractual Charges, and Operational. Public Lands is the only general-fund City
department that pays the utilities fees on its infrastructure, including water and lights in parks, as well as in
some park strips, roundabouts, and traffic islands. The annual budget requests for these items are
estimates based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus the proposed rate increases for public utilities. As
the figure below shows, Utilities charges sharply increased from FY22 to FY26, but are expected to grow a
bit more slowly in FY27. In response to a staff question, the department stated,
“The FY26 budget included additional funding for water utilities due to
changes in the Public Utilities rate structure, which increased departmental
water costs. We anticipate utility rates will stabilize following the recent rate
restructuring, helping to normalize future utility expenses.”
Department of Public Services
5
Department of Public Services
6
Changes in Utilities, Contracts, Operations Costs for Public Lands
Actual
FY23
Actual
FY24
Actual
FY25
Adopted
FY26
MRB
FY27
Utilities changes
(mostly water and
sewer)
332,157 451,800 549,300 950,091 412,320
Contractual changes 391,468 159,000 197,200 177,429 119,495
Operational changes 0 0 0 94,184 56,609
Total $886,563 $649,500 $796,800 $1,221,704 $588,424
Contractual costs also have generally increased, though at a more uneven pace. The reasons for these
changes include overall inflation and price increases, but DPL’s needs also vary from year to year,
depending on weather conditions, the City’s new asset purchases, contractual changes, and more. For FY27,
the Administration Division expanded the department’s contractual services to six maintenance contractors
(there was just one before) to allow the expansion of services for managing medians, repairing irrigation,
and other property maintenance tasks. This has led to more competitive pricing for these.
A.Division Details.
1.Parks Division ($19,974,362; 78 FTEs). The Parks Division is charged with oversight and care of
all City Parks, the Salt Lake City Cemetery, and the Regional Athletic Complex, as well as rights-of-
way, islands and medians across the city. As one major cost-saving measure for FY27, the division
reported that it:
“Conducted a comparative cost analysis of local vendors for the
purpose of identifying value-focused alternatives. As a result of these
efforts, we were able to engage a new supplier for (2) of our
most frequently used materials – organic woodchip mulch and EWF
fall attenuation surfacing. The product quality is the same as
our previous vendor, except the new supplier is ~52.7% cheaper.”
a.Staffing Changes. The proposed changes are mostly in the title or grade of existing positions,
some of which are the result of the FY26 CCAC market pay adjustment funding, as mentioned in
the Staffing Levels section, above.
b.Vacant positions. All seasonal positions are slated to be filled by the end of May, as will a
General Maintenance Worker III, which was open for several months. Three other positions in
the Parks Division remained vacant for more than two months in FY26:
- Parks Division Director
- Project Coordinator
- Irrigation Technician III
Policy Question: Would the Council like to request additional information on
why these positions remained open so long?
Department of Public Services
7
c.New Property Funding. The division reports that on-going care of new properties beginning
in FY27 are completely funded through the property tax increase. In the past, certain DPL
divisions had to take on new maintenance responsibilities each year as properties were added to
the Department’s roster throughout the City. In the FY26 MRB, for the first time, there was a
specific line-item in the Department’s proposed budget for this purpose, and this is repeated in
FY27. Note that an additional $200,000 of the property tax increase would be directed to
Wildlife Fire Interface Mitigation. More information on this item is found in the Trails and
Natural Lands Division, below.
Proposed Funding for FY27 New
DPL Property (on-going)
Seasonal salaries $311,600
Operational costs $278,945
Contractual costs $117,573
Total $708,118
Policy Question: The Council may wish to ask how maintenance would be
provided at these new properties if the property tax increase is not adopted.
d.Regional Athletic Complex (RAC). Since the facility opened, revenues have consistently
failed to keep pace with expenses. The RAC was approved by voters in 2003 and, at that time the
City estimated it would need some sort of ongoing general fund subsidy, in the range of
$200,000. In FY27, the general fund subsidy for the RAC is estimated to grow to over $1.1
million. In past years, DPL has noted that the RAC’s operational increases are due to inflation,
rather than new equipment or amenities, and that its primary value lies in the economic impact
of hosted events.
3.Public Lands Administration ($4,256,616; 21.85 FTEs).
a.Staffing Changes. The division would grow by one FTE in FY27, a new FTE Communications
Coordinator, by reallocating part-time hours to fund the full-time position. There would also be
adjustments to other titles and grades due largely to CCAC market adjustments.
b.Vacant Position. The Deputy Director of Public Lands position has remained unfilled for
several months.
$0$200,000$400,000$600,000$800,000$1,000,000$1,200,000$1,400,000$1,600,000$1,800,000$2,000,000
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(not inflation-adjusted)
Department of Public Services
8
Policy Question: Would the Council like to request additional information on
how long this position has remained open, and why?
c.Constituent Request Management (CRM) software. Public Lands has fully integrated
the CRM system into its work.
d.Volunteers. DPL staff hired in recent years have been responsible for a significant increase in
volunteerism associated with department properties and programs. The Community Events
program has enhanced the stewardship program, completing 83 sessions with 6,211 volunteer
hours. This equates to the work of three FTEs over the past year.
4.Trails and Natural Lands Division ($4,225,458; 30 FTEs). This division focuses on advancing
the ecological health and biodiversity of the public lands system and improving natural lands and
resources for habitat protection and sustainable recreational use. The Park Rangers are included in
this division.
a.Staffing Changes. The 19 Park Ranger positions in the Trails and Natural Lands Division
in FY26 would be cut to 16 FTEs in FY27. As noted in the Overview section above, three
positions would be cut. This would result in a total of ten Park Rangers, four Park Ranger
Leads, and two Supervisors.
b. Park Ranger Program. The reduction in the number of Park Rangers (see above) will
reduce their presence in smaller parks and natural areas, so they can maintain the same
level of service in the busiest city parks, where the department sees greater need for their
presence. For the same reason, they plan to scale back the number of ranger-led programs
to focus on stewardship and community events and maintain their standard of 60% patrol
hours per ranger. Their work (which is tracked for statistical purposes) includes outreach to
people experiencing homelessness, in the form of check-ins, explanations of services
available to them, and connection to services, if needed. They can also contact SLC911 and
other city departments for emergency and non-emergency circumstances.
They describe their work this way:
“Part of the value of Park Rangers is that while they are
focused primarily on the visitor experience in the city’s
public lands, they are able to identify and either address
or elevate issues that may not otherwise have been
noticed promptly.”
Another example of ranger activities are “compliance conversations,” which they divide into
those that concern dogs, and all other conversations. They report that approximately 85% of
these compliance conversations fall into the dog category. On a related issue, they report
that the public has expressed that they would like rangers to be able to write tickets for park
specific issues, such as dogs off leash or illegal vending.
Policy Question: Would the Council like to schedule a briefing to learn more
about the first few years of the Park Ranger program, including, perhaps, a
discussion of the potential advantages and disadvantages of providing them
with additional responsibilities?
e.Foothill Trails Maintenance. In FY26, the Council revised its FY22 budget contingency
which had halted construction in the Foothill Trails while community concerns were addressed.
Department staff presented a progress update to the Council on April 7, 2026, which included
Department of Public Services
9
information on the establishment of a Foothills Working Group and the proposed process for
future Foothills Zone planning and implementation. The Council responded by removing the
remaining budget constraints on this item. DPL currently has approximately $171,000 available
for planning, design, and construction activities related to the Foothills Plan. According to the
division:
“The next priority is finalizing establishment of the Foothills Working Group in
consultation with the Parks, Natural Lands, and Urban Forestry Advisory Board.
Public Lands will then finalize the first Zone Process, focused on the East City Creek
Zone and Popperton Open Space, and present it to the Foothills Working Group for
their input. The information will also be shared publicly through Shape SLC prior
to initiating any improvements funded through the remaining allocation.”
f.Wildfire Interface Mitigation. The Division would use $200,000 of the proposed FY27
property tax increase as a type of pilot program to hire contractual services to remove natural
fuels that could contribute to urban wildfire. This is part of an effort to address the growing risk
of wildfire wherever urbanized areas meet natural spaces, including both along the Foothills and
in areas where naturally wooded parks are surrounded by buildings and urban infrastructure.
Policy Question: The Council may wish to ask how Trails and Natural Lands
plans to supervise the work of these contractors to ensure that they are aware
of and respect Salt Lake City’s values regarding natural lands as they
undertake this work?
5.Urban Forestry Division ($3,868,675; 18 FTEs). This Division specializes in maintaining city
trees, including pruning, planting, removal, health evaluation, emergency response, project plan
review and permit issuance, storm cleanup, and hazard assessment. It coordinates with the Parks,
Natural Lands, and Golf Divisions to identify high priority/high value tree planting opportunities on
Public Lands properties and organizes volunteers to help with the planting.
a.Staffing Changes. The division would remain the same size in FY27, with some adjustments
to titles and grades due largely to CCAC market adjustments.
b.Cost-saving measures. The proposed budget will reduce the funding for Tree Maintenance
and Tree Planting, but the division notes that currently, more than 90% of trees planted in City
parks are planted by volunteers, and “[…] enough tree planting funding remains for the division
to meet the public demand for new trees (and replacement trees) in park strips along
neighborhood streets. So, the public should not notice a reduction in that service.” The division
also will work with non-profit partners and donors to supplement tree planting to the extent
possible. In addition, the division notes that it has been upgrading irrigation systems on public
lands so that trees can be watered more efficiently, using funds collected through tree removal
mitigation fees.
On the other hand, reduced funding may still result in fewer trees being planted in parks and
through other proactive tree planting efforts. The reduction to tree maintenance funding will
also likely result in fewer trees being pruned each year.
c.Sycamore Anthracnose Study (funding in FY26 with $150,000). Urban Forestry continues
to work with Utah State University and concerned residents to develop a treatment program
study for sycamore anthracnose. The goal is to better understand the effectiveness, challenges,
and costs of a large-scale plant health care program. The division does not anticipate having “an
actionable data set” until late 2027 at the earliest, and it also commented the following:
Department of Public Services
10
“Sycamore trees (both treated and untreated) are looking very bad
this spring. A late frost killed virtually all the emerging leaves on
many of the city’s sycamore trees, and many have yet to re-leaf as
of mid-May. It is too early to know the level of impact that this
additional stress event will have on tree health, but the division is
anticipating that some of the weakest sycamore trees will die and
need to be removed.”
6.Planning and Design Division ($1,782,040; 11 FTEs). This Division was created and initially
staffed in FY25 to support DPL capital projects and initiatives. It oversees site planning and design,
community engagement, construction document design, project management, and construction
oversight. In 2025, the Division reported that it was “standardizing processes […] specifications,
details, and products to ensure consistency and higher quality across all projects, phases, and
project managers, and reduce the amount of time it takes to train new employees.”
a.Staffing Changes. The division would remain the same size in FY27, with some adjustments
to titles and grades due largely to CCAC market adjustments.
b.Vacant Position. The Planning & Design Division Director position will be filled on May 24,
2026.
Policy Question: Would the Council like to request additional information on
how long this position has remained open, and why?
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC LANDS
SALT LAKE CITY BUDGET 26-27
Salt Lake City Public Lands strengthens community connection
by creating, protecting, and sustaining welcoming parks
and natural spaces for all.
Introduction
At the Department of Public Lands, our work supports quality
of life in Salt Lake City.
•We maintain and operate parks, trails, and open spaces
•Steward natural lands and the urban forest
•Create safe, welcoming places for recreation and community
•Deliver capital projects and long-term planning
•Partner with residents, nonprofits, and agencies
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Public Lands Overview
Administrative
20.85 FTEs,13.56 PT
Department Budget FY 26 -27
21 FTEs 34.15 FTEs11 FTEs11 FTEs, 23 PT
18 FTEs78 FTEs, 115.44 PT
Accomplishment 1 – Jordan River Trail Improvements
Trails and Natural Lands
projects
•$723,000 in grants
Department Budget FY 26 -27
•Backman Community
Open Space
•Emerald Ribbon
Accomplishment 2 – Volunteer and Community Events
Public Lands continues to
advance the Mayor's goal of
keeping families in the city
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Accomplishment 3 – Glendale Phase 1
Grand Opening held on
December 6, 2025
•New pickleball courts
•Accessible playground
•SITE certification in
progress
•Center of the westside
community
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Accomplishment 4 – Asset Management Plan
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Lays out all capital assets
for Public Lands
•Playgrounds, benches,
paths, etc.
•Sets budget and tracks
yearly costs
•Updates Cartegraph
data
Found Efficiencies
Department Budget FY 26 -27
1) Expanded Contractual Services
•Went from one to six contractors
•Many city medians are managed by contractors
•Work includes irrigation, cleanup, weeding, and more
•83 sessions completed
•6,211 volunteer hours – Equaling 3 FTEs
•Cartegraph, Survey 123, Asana, Volunteer Matters, PlacerAI
•12 feet deep with 300-gallon capacity
•Went from emptying 3 times a week to once every 3 months
Public Lands Department Overview
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Department
Request
Ongoing
Fleet
Transfer
One -Time
FY27
Total
+$609,527
FTE: -1
PTE: +10.00
+$305,800
$34,412,952
FTE: 158.85
PTE: 162.00
$33,497,625
FTE’s: 159.85
PTE’s: 152
Current Budget
Request Scenario Summary
Department Budget FY 26 -27
FY26 Current Change Total
Personal Services $20,584,499 $474,050 $21,058,549
Contracts/Inflationary $12,913,126 $588,424 $13,501,550
New Insights Ongoing $0 $908,118
FTE: 2 / PTE: +10.00
$908,118
FTE: 2 / PTE: +10.00
New Insights One -Time
(Fleet Equipment Transfer)$0 $305,800 $305,800
Budget Reductions $0 ($1,361,065)
FTE: -3 / PTE: 0
($1,361,065)
FTE: -3 / PTE: 0
Total $33,497,625
FTE: 159.85 / PTE: 152
+$915,327
FTE: -1 / PTE: +10.00
$34,412,952
FTE: 158.85 / PTE: 162.00
Request Scenario Details
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Insight Description FY27 GF
Ongoing
FY 27 GF
Fleet Transfer
One -Time
FY27 Total
Request
0 Personal Services Cost Increases $474,050 $0
1 Inflationary & Contractual $588,424 $0
2 New Property Maintenance $708,118
15.45 PTE $305,800 0 FTE/15.45 PTE
3 Convert Seasonal/PT to (2) Full-Time FTE’s
(budget neutral)2 FTE/-5.45 PTE $0 2 FTE/-5.45 PTE
4 Wildland Fire Interface Mitigation $200,000 $0
5 Budget Reductions ($1,361,065)
-3 FTE/0 PTE $0 -3 FTE/0 PTE
Total
$609,527
-1 FTE/10.00 PTE
$305,800 $915,327
-1 FTE/10.00 PTE
Insight #0 Personal Services Cost Increase
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Item FY 27
Ongoing
Personal Services Cost Increase $474,050
The Mayor recommended personal service adjustments reflect changes to base-to-base, pension, health
insurance, AFSCME union pay increases, and other personnel cost increases.
Insight #1 Inflationary and Contractual
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Item Cost Provided By:FY 27 GF
Ongoing
Utility Increases (Water, Sewer, etc.)SLC Public Utilities/Other $412,320
Operational Inflationary Department Internal $56,609
Contractual Obligations (Existing)Department Internal $119,495
Total $588,424
Insight #2 New Properties/Amenities Maintenance
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Item FY27 GF
Ongoing
FY 27 GF
Fleet Transfer
(One -Time)
FY27 Total
Request
Operations Costs $278,945 $0
Seasonal Staff (16,067 hours)$311,600 $0
Contracted Services $117,573 $0
Fleet Equipment Transfer $0 $305,800
Total $708,118
0 FTE/15.45 PTE
$305,800 $1,013,918
0 FTE/15.45 PTE
Insight #2 New Properties/Amenities Maintenance
Department Budget FY 26 -27
22 New Properties and Amenities (FY 27)
New Park or Open Space (2)
•Folsom Trail Open Space
•East Bench Open Space
Parks New Amenities: (13)
•Pioneer Park Improvements
•Liberty Park Playground
•International Peace Gardens Expansion
ROW/Medians Properties: (7)
•1300 East Trail
•600 South Islands and Medians
•California Avenue Islands and Medians
Insight #2 New Properties/Amenities Maintenance
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Insight #3 Convert Seasonal/PT to Full -Time FTE ’s
Department Budget FY 26 -27
This proposal is budget neutral
1 FTE Natural Resource Technician II (Grade 116) $78,000
•Convert 3,428 hours into
.
•Replace 1 part-time and 3 seasonal greenhouse roles with 1 FTE.
•Oversees greenhouse, farm production, and vendors.
•Reduces turnover and expands volunteer support.
1 FTE Communications Coordinator (Grade E25) $89,800
•Convert into
.
•Creates social media, blog, website, and outreach content.
•Develops and executes comprehensive social media strategy.
•Ensures that messaging is consistent, accessible, and on-brand
across all platforms.
Insight #4 Wildland Fire Interface Mitigation
Department Budget FY 26 -27
•Salt Lake City has had less precipitation, increasing wildfire risk
•City departments are reviewing how land is
managed near neighborhoods
•Preventing wildfires protects lives, property, and saves
money
•The city has 30 miles of high-risk Wild Urban Interface (WUI)
areas
•$200,000 is being requested to create fire breaks and
removing excessive vegetation for priority locations.
•This will help plan future yearly maintenance
Reduction Scenerio Summary
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Category Prioritized Current Budget Change % Change Reduced Budget
Administrative Travel &
Training Costs $142,925 ($62,500)(43.73%)$80,425
Operational Costs
(maintenance supplies, tools, etc.)$2,317,567 ($391,200)(16.8%)$1,926,367
Charges & Services (parks
security, tree pruning, landscaping &
trail maintenance, tree planting, other)
$10,452,634 ($622,365)(5.95%)$9,830,269
Personal Services Full-
Time (3 Park Ranger FTE’s)$20,584,499 ($285,000)(1.38%)$20,299,499
Total $33,497,625
FTE: 159.85
PTE: 152
($1,361,065)
FTE: -3
PTE: 0
(4.06%)$32,136,560
FTE: 156.85
PTE: 152.00
Reduction: Administrative Costs
Department Budget FY 26 -27
•The department is proposing to cut non-essential travel
budgets by $54,500 and the training budget by $8,000
•Impacts to these budget reductions will be minimal
•We will find alternative virtual options for conferences
and provide employee training
•The Department values training and will find creative ways
to expand the knowledge and understanding of employees
Reduction: Operational Costs
Department Budget FY 26 -27
•The proposed operational budget reductions of
•Some categories that will be impacted the most are:
•Chemicals, fertilizer, sand and gravel, irrigation supplies,
plumbing supplies, small tools and equipment, trees and
shrubs, other materials and supplies
•The reductions have been spread across all divisions and
operational spend categories within the department to
minimize the impact to one area. With this approach the
visual impacts to parks and public spaces should be
minimal.
•This could delay responding to minor irrigation issues and
restroom repairs
Reduction: Operational Cost Details (Continued)
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Reduction: Charges & Services
Department Budget FY 26 -27
•The department proposes to reduce the charges and services budget by based on
priority below. This will impact contractual and professional services.
•The budget reduction impacts:
•Priority 1 - $72,000 Community events proposes to eliminate the Pioneer Park holiday lighting
an 18% reduction in the overall events budget.
FY27 Community Events Proposal
Community Events FY27 Costs Reduction FY27 Request Reduction %
Independence Day 0.00%
Lights On $72,000 ($72,000)$0 -100.00%
Pioneer Day 0.00%
Fairmont Yappy Hour 0.00%
Jordan Yappy Hour 0.00%
August Yappy Hour 0.00%
Rosewood Community Celebration 0.00%
Children's Day 0.00%
Dancing Under the Stars Nights 0.00%
Artist Stroll 0.00%
All remaining events:0.00%
Total Event Costs ($72,000)-17.63%
Reduction: Charges & Services (Continued)
Department Budget FY 26 -27
•Priority 2 - $172,900 Special Project Fund
•(examples of past projects: office modifications, ppp analysis, sponsorship modeling, joint
departmental collaboration for Green Loop funding analysis)
•The budget reduction impacts:
• Priority 3 - $100,000 reduce contractor work.
•Reduction in vegetation work along the Jordan River. Recently awarded grants can offset this
impact and PL will explore additional grant funding for vegetation management.
•The budget reduction impacts:
•Priority 4 - $100,000 reduce contracted labor to plant, prune, and remove trees and stumps.
•Approximately 70% of all tree pruning for Salt Lake City is done via contracted crews, and
(with current funding) the City is still only pruning about half of the trees that we should be
pruning annually
•Reducing contracted tree pruning and maintenance will result in longer service request back
logs and approximately 800 to 1,000 fewer trees being pruned yearly.
Reduction: Charges & Services (Continued)
Department Budget FY 26 -27
•The budget reduction impacts:
•Priority 5 -$177,465 contracted parks security reduction
•34% reduction in available patrol hours will result in either fewer parks or reduced hours
•19 Parks currently patrolled
•Department will explore increased collaboration with SLC PD to mitigate impacts
Reduction: Charges & Services (Continued)
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Reduction: Personal Services Full -Time
Department Budget FY 26 -27
•Department proposal reduces the Ranger team from , cutting
in personal services
•This represents a , limiting
consistent coverage across City parks and trails
•Rangers are the primary Public Lands staff responsible for:
•Visitor engagement and rule compliance
•Stewardship events and litter removal
•Maintenance reporting, visitor concerns, connecting to services
•Growing Demand for Ranger Services (2025)
•Patrol activities: 15,998 hjours
•Dispatch responses: 245 calls
•Dog compliance contacts: 9,318 conversations
•Outreach to unhoused individuals: 2,890 check-ins
•Dog Bag Refills: 3,821
Request Scenario Details
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Insight Description FY27 GF
Ongoing
FY 27 GF
Fleet Transfer
One -Time
FY27 Total
Request
0 Personal Services Cost Increases $474,050 $0
1 Inflationary & Contractual $588,424 $0
2 New Property Maintenance $708,118
15.45 PTE $305,800 0 FTE/15.45 PTE
3 Convert Seasonal/PT to (2) Full-Time FTE’s
(budget neutral)2 FTE/-5.45 PTE $0 2 FTE/-5.45 PTE
4 Wildland Fire Interface Mitigation $200,000 $0
5 Budget Reductions ($1,361,065)
-3 FTE/0 PTE $0 -3 FTE/0 PTE
Total
$609,527
-1 FTE/10.00 PTE
$305,800 $915,327
-1 FTE/10.00 PTE
THANK YOU
GO Bond
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Affected Department Proposed
Budget
Budget w/out
Tax Change
Budget
Change Impact of Tax Increase
Fire Department $59,302,822 $57,552,568 $1,800,218 Sugar House has seen extensive growth including the development of new
highrise buildings. This increase will fund 9 firefighters to staff a newly purchased
fire truck and allow for fuel and maintenance of the old apparatus for use as a
reserve. Continued increase in requests for permits, along with statutory changes
to the Wildland Fire Interface (WUI) requirements have created the need for one
new Fire Inspector. This increase will also cover a new vehicle for the Fire
Inspector, contractual and uniform allowance increases.
Salt Lake City’s current property tax rate 0.00213
Salt Lake City’s current property revenue $108,006,905
Proposed revenue with tax changes $121,506,905
New Property Tax Revenue to Salt Lake City $13,500,000
Estimated increase to Salt Lake City’s property tax revenue 12.50%
Estimated increase to a primary residence valued at $624,000 $118.38
Estimated increase to a commercial property valued at $1 M $344.93
105/05/2026
FY26-27 Proposed Property Tax
Impact Schedule
Salt Lake City will consider an increase to the property tax rate from .00213 To .00248
to generate an additional $13,500,000.
The following information is intended to provide decision makers and the public with
an explanation of how the City’s operations would be affected if the property tax
remains the same.
Affected Department Proposed
Budget
Budget w/out
Tax Change
Budget
Change Impact of Tax Increase
Public Lands $34,321,961 $33,199,033 $1,122,928 Public Lands is responsible for maintaining 23 new properties, parks and
amenities, this increase includes additional seasonal staff, equipment and
operational costs related to maintaining these properties. This budget change will
also pay for Wildland Fire Interface mitigation covering 30 miles of high risk areas.
Justice Court $7,538,063 $7,106,052 $432,011 Caseload at the Justice Court has increased significantly. To provide for more
effective adjudication of cases and allow better access to justice, this increase
includes the addition of four Judicial Assistants and one Justice Court Manager.
Attorney $13,274,426 $13,146,702 $127,722 To provide for continued implementation of Diversion Programs, the Public Safety
Plan and accommodate a new Judge at the Justice Court, this increase includes the
addition of two Prosecutorial Assistants.
Community & Neighborhoods $41,407,546 $ 40,607,546 $800,000 This increase will maintain current Youth and Family programming following the
loss of several major grant funding sources.
Street Lighting Fund Transfer $401,315 $170,400 $230,915 This increase will pay for the maintenance and repair of General Fund owned
street lighting and fund a $20,000 grant program to supplement property owners
who wish to add privately owned streetlights.
Sustainability Fund Transfer $1,170,900 $670,900 $500,000 This increase will support the Environment & Energy Division as they develop
strategies that protect our natural resources and reduce pollution.
Capital Improvement Projects Fund
Transfer
$10,100,000 $3,636,964 $6,463,036 Funds from this increase will used to pay for the following Capital Improvement
projects: Vision Zero Corridors and Safety Improvements, Facilities Replacement
and Renewal, Sugar House Park Waterline Replacement, Washington Park Septic
Expansion, Urban Trails, Jordan Park Sewer Improvements, Bike Racks, and
additional Street Reconstruction.
Fleet Centralized Maintenance Fund $12,788,795 $11,726,968 $1,061,827 Continued increases to the cost of parts, fuel and labor to maintain and repair Salt
Lake City’s fleet of vehicles.
NonDepartment/Legal Defender
Association
$2,755,153 $1,793,810 $961,343 In response to increased caseload at the Justice Court, the Legal Defender contract
has been increased to allow for new staff to provide indigent defense.
Totals $183,060,981 $169,610,943 $13,500,000
205/05/2026
CITY COUNCIL OF SALT LAKE CITY
451 SOUTH STATE STREET, ROOM 304
P.O. BOX 145476, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84114-5476
COUNCIL.SLCGOV.COM
TEL 801-535-7600 FAX 801-535-7651
COUNCIL BUDGET
STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL of SALT LAKE CITY
SLC Budget FY27
TO:City Council Members
FROM:Allison Rowland, Senior Policy Analyst
DATE:May 21, 2026
RE: FY2027 BUDGET – GOLF ENTERPRISE FUND
MAYOR’S RECOMMENDED BUDGET: Key Changes, page 73; Department Overview, pages 236 to 244;
Staffing, page 317
KEY ISSUES
Investing $17.4 million in Golf capital improvements—a substantial increase from $14.1 million allocated
for FY26.
Continuing the $2-per-9 hole-round CIP fee to help the Golf Fund catch up on years of deferred
maintenance.
Reducing the General Fund subsidy to the Golf Fund to $500,000 in FY27.
Increasing the number of Golf Enterprise Fund FTEs by one, to 35.15 FTEs, with the addition of an
Assistant Golf Pro.
GOLF OVERVIEW
Item Schedule:
Page | 2
(FTEs) would grow for the first time in many years by one FTE—an Assistant Golf Pro—to a total of 35.15
assigned to operations.
POLICY QUESTIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Golf Fund Revenue. In FY27 Golf Fund revenue is projected to continue recovery, surpassing FY26 by 5.2%
($732,636). Revenue increases in recent years have indicated the potential of the Golf Fund to improve its
financial position by investing in improvements. For FY27, general greens fees would provide almost 51% of
annual revenue, cart rentals would provide 18.3%, retail merchandise would contribute nearly 8%, and driving
ranges 5.4%. These four top sources (apart from the CIP fee on rounds and passes) would bring revenue from
$10.3 million to $12.3 million, which would be a new high. Revenue from driving range fees also rose in FY26
with the completion of a new CIP project at Glendale, and would level off in FY27. With revenue growing
significantly higher since FY20, the Administration proposes reducing the general fund transfers for FY27 to
$500,000.
General Fund Transfers/Subsidy. For FY27, the Administration proposes to end the practice begun in
FY17 of using General Fund revenue to cover various expenses in the Golf Fund. The Administration indicates
that SLC Golf’s success in attracting additional play to courses in its system since FY20 makes these transfers
no longer necessary, apart from the regular annual Irrigation Improvements from FY18 (also known as the
ESCO) at several courses. This will increase every year until 2032 when it is finally paid off. In addition,
sufficient “CIP Fee” dollars for capital expenditures have been collected to continue ongoing investments which
are likely increase the bottom line over the longer run. (See the Addition & Background Information part of this
document, below.)
$0
$1,000,000
$2,000,000
$3,000,000
$4,000,000
$5,000,000
$6,000,000
$7,000,000
$8,000,000
Actual
FY15
FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 Actual
FY25
Adopted
FY26
MRB
FY27
Green Fees
Cart Rental
Retail Merchandise Sales
Driving Range Fees
Golf Revenue for the Top Four Services
Page | 3
Capital Improvement Projects. The Golf Division has budgeted $17,387,321 for Capital Improvement
Projects for FY27, an amount unprecedented in at least a decade. This includes the following plans:
Installing new irrigation systems at the Rose Park golf course for $7.5 million and Nibley Park golf
course for $3.0 million
Exploring the possibility of building a new clubhouse at Nibley Park with a potential public/private
partnership with industry and community partners, with $2.5 million from Golf CIP as a potential
share in this project.
New maintenance buildings at Bonneville and Rose Park ($1 million for both), an on-course
restroom at Glendale ($150,000) and a new roof at Rose Park ($260,000).
Upgrading vital maintenance equipment across all courses ($777,321).
Deferred maintenance across all courses, with $250,000.
Continuing the multi-year project to improve tee box hitting surfaces by re-leveling and re-sodding
many of the areas at each course with another $175,000 allocated to the project for FY27.
Course Trends. Typically, Council staff requests, and receives, data on the annual “utilization” rate at each
course to measure the extent to which each course is being used. This is measured by the number of “starts”
(regardless of whether the rounds played are 9 or 18 holes) and the “playable” tee-times, to account for
weather-related factors. Unfortunately, due to an error, this data was not requested for FY27, which means that
this convenient measure of changes in the Golf Division’s operations and investments in each of the courses is
not available at this time.
Policy Question: Would the Council like to request the course utilization data for FY27 so
that staff can make it available before final budget decisions are reached?
Golf CIP. The proposed budget includes a continuation of the $2 per 9-hole round CIP fee, which allows the
Golf Division to continue to invest in deferred capital projects. The Golf CIP fund was established in FY12 as
the repository for a Council-initiated surcharge of $1 per round with the purpose of catching up on deferred
maintenance and critical capital projects at all City courses. The Council’s intent at that time was that these
$-
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000
$600,000
$700,000
FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26 Adopted FY27 MRB
Reimburse Administrative Fees
FY18 Irrigation Improvements (previously ESCO)
Rose Park Infrastructure Investment
Reimburse Fees paid by the Golf Fund to IMS
Living Wage adjustments
General Fund Transfers to Golf Fund
Page | 4
funds not be used to cover operational deficits, as they had been in the years before the ongoing General Fund
subsidy was begun. In FY22, the CIP fee was raised to $2 per 9-hole round to help reflect the toll of increased
inflation across the economy.
Golf CIP Projects FY27
Irrigation Improvements - Rose Park $7,500,000
Irrigation Improvements - Nibley Park $3,000,000
Deferred Maintenance - Nibley Clubhouse $2,500,000
Deferred Maintenance - Mountain Dell $1,500,000
Maintenance Buildings $1,000,000
Maintenance Equipment $777,321
Roof Repair $260,000
Deferred Maintenance - All 6 SLC Courses $250,000
Tee Box Leveling $175,000
Cart Path Improvements $150,000
On Course Restroom $150,000
Driving Range Redesign $100,000
Pump Replacement $25,000
Total $17,387,321
ADDITIONAL & BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Indirect and Non-Financial Benefits of Golf’s Green Space. The Golf Fund owns over 1,000 acres of
property across six courses—a substantial amount of publicly-owned green space. Acreage in the City helps
mitigate the urban heat island effect in addition to the aesthetic value of green space. Over a third of this area
(381 acres) sits outside the urban area, at Mountain Dell in Parley’s Canyon, which serves the additional
function of City watershed protection.
SLC Golf Properties
Course Maintained
acres
Other
acres
Total
acres
Bonneville 125 55 180
Forest Dale 55 6 61
Glendale 160 16 176
Mountain Dell 260 121 381
Nibley 46 6 52
Rose Park 140 16 156
Total 786 220 1,006
Page | 5
“Much of the non-golf use is passive in nature, and the access and preservation of the
open public spaces provide many opportunities and benefits to the public such as:
Trees and Open Space. Contributes benefits to air quality, urban heat islands,
urban wildlife interfaces and
Other activities include wintertime access, walking, snowshoe, dogs, and trails.
Public access to clubhouse and cafes
Public meeting space at Forest Dale
Jordan River Trail Glendale and Rose Park
Disc Golf and Footgolf at Rose Park”
Golf Advisory Board. The terms of all current board members have expired and the board has not met for
many years. The Administration indicated that it is evaluating whether to substitute the Golf-specific advisory
board with the Parks, Natural Lands, Urban Forestry and Trails (PNUT) board. If the Golf Advisory Board is no
longer desired the Council would need to amend City code.
Policy Question: Would the Council like to request any updates on this issue and/or
schedule a future briefing to consider this issue?
Discount Programs. The golf fund offers a variety of loyalty and youth/senior discount programs. More
information can be found on SLC Golf’s website: https://www.slc-golf.com/product-category/memberships/.
Comparative Research in 2019. The Finance Department conducted a review of many municipality-owned
golf course systems around the country, as well as a more in-depth review of the accounting laws governing
enterprise funds in the State of Utah.
Key takeaways from the Administration following their review:
Cities of Salt Lake City’s population size do not typically have such extensive public golf systems. Most
of the comparisons are with larger cities in the West.
No other system that was studied charges administrative fees—although the same municipalities do
charge fees to other enterprise funds.
All but one municipal system operated with a structural and persistent deficit. All those deficits were
supplemented with ongoing support of the municipal general fund.
The State of Utah has legal and accounting barriers that the Finance Department has interpreted to
prohibit simply “absorbing” the Golf Fund into the City general fund. They appear to mean that SLC
Golf must remain a separate enterprise fund. To confirm this interpretation, the Attorney’s Office has
been asked to provide an opinion on the matter.
Similarly, there are legal and accounting barriers to the general fund “assuming” the Golf Fund’s ESCO
(existing secondary water-system debt). However, the general fund is permitted to provide funds to the
Golf Fund to pay these debts.
The Administration does not indicate any interest in selling or developing Golf property for a different
use.
2014 Council Policy Principles. Certain Golf Fund policy issues have come up with regularity over the
years. The Council adopted Guiding Policy Principles for Changes to the Golf Enterprise Fund in 2014. The
Page | 6
Council may wish to discuss whether it would be helpful to discard, or review and update these to determine
relevance to the FY23 budget and policy goals of the Council at this point.
Policy Principles discourage general fund subsidies to the Golf Fund specifically,
although in recent years there have been limited exceptions made to this rule. As part of these guiding
policy statements, the Council also agreed that City-owned open space should be protected.
General Background Information relating to Golf Fund Financial History. As an enterprise fund,
the Golf Fund is charged with managing and maintaining the courses within the revenues that it can generate
through its operations. The Council has been concerned about the financial sustainability of the Golf Fund
since at least 2007. As early as 2004, deficits began to appear in the Golf Fund, though these problems typically
were described as temporary anomalies, rather than longer-term structural issues, and were covered with the
Golf Fund’s then-substantial fund balance, that was built up in the late 90s and early 2000s when Golf was
significantly more profitable.
Staff note: Recent budgets have not
been consistent with some of these policy statements, and recent Councils have not affirmed that they agree
with the policies adopted in 2014. Later that year, the Council embarked on a process of information gathering
and pursued an extensive process to gather ideas from the public. The Council also hired a municipal finance
consultant to identify options that could help the Golf Fund maintain financial solvency over the long term. In
late 2014 and early 2015, a Council-appointed citizen task force reviewed all the information assembled,
including the consultant’s report and all of the public’s ideas for Council consideration, and provided their
recommendations to the Council. The process culminated in the Council’s own recommendations to the
Administration in February, 2015 (Attachment C2).
nearly pay for themselves—unlike traditional parks, which do not raise significant revenue to offset their
own maintenance costs. Another initiative was to plan for more trail uses at Jordan Par 3 and around Rosepark
which would require substantial capital investment (a formal plan has not been transmitted, and funds for
these plans have not been identified). An RFI was published for a “TopGolf”-like experience at Nibley (2019),
but did not attract any proposals.
SALT LAKE CITY GOLF BUDGET 26-27
Reinvesting in valuable community recreation assets through a
user fee-based enterprise fund.
Introduction
For the past six years, the Golf Fund has focused
on stabilizing operations and leveraging increased
market demand to develop excess revenue generation with
the goal of funding approximately $48 million in deferred
asset maintenance and capital reinvestment. Over this
time,approximately $23 million has been allocated for
needed projects.
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Accomplishments
•Completed significant portions of golf path repairs and
upgrades at the Bonneville, Forest Dale, Glendale,
Mountain Dell and Nibley Park golf courses.
•Began design portion of the Rose Park irrigation system
and settling pond project.
•Procured and installed two new golf simulator bays at the
Forest Dale golf course. Open to public in March 2026.
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Found Efficiencies
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Golf Division staff have utilized multiple tree maintenance
contracts to expedite tree trimming and dead tree removal
from each golf course. These contracts have allowed golf
course staff to focus on core job functions while addressing
decades of deferred maintenance of trees, resulting in
healthier trees, improved turf health, reduction of fire risk
and customer and staff safety.
Overview
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Request FY27 Total
+$4,445,427
FTE: +1.0 / PTE: 3.53
$31,015,626
FTE: 35.15 / PTE: 51.17$26,570,199
FTEs: 34.15 / PTE: 47.64
Current Budget
Request Scenario – Golf Revenue
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Current Change Total
Green Fees $6,850,617 $1,610,622 $8,461,239
Driving Range Fees $628,397 $178,666 $807,063
Cart Rental Fees $2,398,305 $328,005 $2,726,310
Retail Sales $1,079,705 $102,295 $1,182,000
Other Revenue (GF
Transfer)$3,199,610 $-1,486,952 $1,712,658
Total $14,156,634 +$732,636 $14,889,270
Department Budget FY 26 -27
ROUNDS PLAYED
421,035 423,432 415,831
365,671 343,670 355,655 350,550
374,139
455,556 441,087 425,698
498,010
546,848
FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY259-
TOTAL SLC GOLF ROUNDS | FY13 -FY25
Calendar Year Starts 2019 -2025
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Calendar Year 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Total Starts 251,690 304,916 327,476 312,607 329,916 371,599 407,439
Playable Days 226 247 251 208 231 249 273
Avg. Utilization 64%86%90%105%100%109%110%
Total Revenue $6,775,868 $8,232,219 $9,944,835 $10,039,691 $11,229,373 $12,332,070 $14,203,191
Revenue/Start $26.92 $27.00 $30.37 $32.12 $34.04 $33.19 $34.86
Request Scenario – Golf Operations
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Current Change Total
Personal Services $5,638,654 $265,968 $5,904,622
Operating Supplies $2,099,333 $128,059 $2,227,392
Charges and Services $4,171,530 $672,537 $4,844,067
Capital Equipment $501,328 $275,993 $777,321
Assistant Pro (New FTE)$0 $86,558
FTE: +1 / PTE: 0
$86,558
FTE: +1 / PTE: 0
Total $12,410,846
FTE 34.15 / PTE: 47.64
+$1,429,115
FTE +1.00 / PTE: +3.53
$13,839,960
FTE 35.15 / PTE: 51.17
Request Scenario – Golf CIP
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Current Change Total
Capital Projects $13,612,735 $2,997,265 $16,610,000
ESCO $546,619 $19,047 $565,666
Total $14,159,354 +$3,016,312 $17,175,666
Golf Projects FY23 - FY27
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Deferred Maintenance Project Estimated Cost Actuals FY23 Actuals FY24 Carryforward NEW
Cart Path Construction - ALL $525,762
$0
- Repairs - MD $137,987
- MD $0
$0
- RP $0
- New System (s) RP, NP $0
- Settling Pond - RP $0
- RP, BV $0
$83,500
– GD, NP $0
- BV $0
- GD, FD $0
- ALL $36,991
Totals $47,906,551 $556,887 $784,240
THANK YOU
Affected Department Proposed
Budget
Budget w/out
Tax Change
Budget
Change Impact of Tax Increase
Fire Department $59,302,822 $57,552,568 $1,800,218 Sugar House has seen extensive growth including the development of new
highrise buildings. This increase will fund 9 firefighters to staff a newly purchased
fire truck and allow for fuel and maintenance of the old apparatus for use as a
reserve. Continued increase in requests for permits, along with statutory changes
to the Wildland Fire Interface (WUI) requirements have created the need for one
new Fire Inspector. This increase will also cover a new vehicle for the Fire
Inspector, contractual and uniform allowance increases.
Salt Lake City’s current property tax rate 0.00213
Salt Lake City’s current property revenue $108,006,905
Proposed revenue with tax changes $121,506,905
New Property Tax Revenue to Salt Lake City $13,500,000
Estimated increase to Salt Lake City’s property tax revenue 12.50%
Estimated increase to a primary residence valued at $624,000 $118.38
Estimated increase to a commercial property valued at $1 M $344.93
105/05/2026
FY26-27 Proposed Property Tax
Impact Schedule
Salt Lake City will consider an increase to the property tax rate from .00213 To .00248
to generate an additional $13,500,000.
The following information is intended to provide decision makers and the public with
an explanation of how the City’s operations would be affected if the property tax
remains the same.
Affected Department Proposed
Budget
Budget w/out
Tax Change
Budget
Change Impact of Tax Increase
Public Lands $34,321,961 $33,199,033 $1,122,928 Public Lands is responsible for maintaining 23 new properties, parks and
amenities, this increase includes additional seasonal staff, equipment and
operational costs related to maintaining these properties. This budget change will
also pay for Wildland Fire Interface mitigation covering 30 miles of high risk areas.
Justice Court $7,538,063 $7,106,052 $432,011 Caseload at the Justice Court has increased significantly. To provide for more
effective adjudication of cases and allow better access to justice, this increase
includes the addition of four Judicial Assistants and one Justice Court Manager.
Attorney $13,274,426 $13,146,702 $127,722 To provide for continued implementation of Diversion Programs, the Public Safety
Plan and accommodate a new Judge at the Justice Court, this increase includes the
addition of two Prosecutorial Assistants.
Community & Neighborhoods $41,407,546 $ 40,607,546 $800,000 This increase will maintain current Youth and Family programming following the
loss of several major grant funding sources.
Street Lighting Fund Transfer $401,315 $170,400 $230,915 This increase will pay for the maintenance and repair of General Fund owned
street lighting and fund a $20,000 grant program to supplement property owners
who wish to add privately owned streetlights.
Sustainability Fund Transfer $1,170,900 $670,900 $500,000 This increase will support the Environment & Energy Division as they develop
strategies that protect our natural resources and reduce pollution.
Capital Improvement Projects Fund
Transfer
$10,100,000 $3,636,964 $6,463,036 Funds from this increase will used to pay for the following Capital Improvement
projects: Vision Zero Corridors and Safety Improvements, Facilities Replacement
and Renewal, Sugar House Park Waterline Replacement, Washington Park Septic
Expansion, Urban Trails, Jordan Park Sewer Improvements, Bike Racks, and
additional Street Reconstruction.
Fleet Centralized Maintenance Fund $12,788,795 $11,726,968 $1,061,827 Continued increases to the cost of parts, fuel and labor to maintain and repair Salt
Lake City’s fleet of vehicles.
NonDepartment/Legal Defender
Association
$2,755,153 $1,793,810 $961,343 In response to increased caseload at the Justice Court, the Legal Defender contract
has been increased to allow for new staff to provide indigent defense.
Totals $183,060,981 $169,610,943 $13,500,000
205/05/2026
CITY COUNCIL OF SALT LAKE CITY
451 SOUTH STATE STREET, ROOM 304
P.O. BOX 145476, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84114-5476
SLC.GOV/COUNCIL
TEL 801-535-7600 FAX 801-535-7651
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL of SALT LAKE CITY
link.slc.gov/SLCFY27
TO:City Council Members
FROM: Kate Werrett
Budget & Policy Analyst
DATE:May 21, 2026
RE: FY2027 PUBLIC SERVICES DEPARTMENT BUDGET
Budget Book Pages: Key Changes: page 58, Department Overview: pages 245-253
DEPARTMENT BUDGET AT-A-GLANCE
The Public Services Department manages public-facing services through its Streets and Urban Services Divisions
and provides support for internal City functions through the Facilities Services, Administrative Services
Divisions, Architecture & Construction Management, and the Fleet Internal Service Fund. The Fleet Fund is
briefed separately; this briefing covers the General Fund divisions of the Public Services Department. Much of
the equipment and infrastructure for projects Public Services handles is covered separately in the Capital
Improvement Program (CIP) budget, which will be briefed later in the year.
The proposed Public Services budget for FY 2027 is $47,894,675, which is 2.8% ($1.4 million) less than the
adopted FY 2026 budget.
Public Services General Fund Budget
FY 2026 Final Adopted FY 2027 Proposed Difference Percent
$49,273,018 $47,894,675 ($1,378,343)(2.8%)
POLICY QUESTIONS
1. The Council may wish to ask the Administration to outline the benefits achieved by consolidating the
rapid intervention team members into the Urban Services Division as part of the FY2026 budget.
2. The Council may wish to discuss the proposed new limited-time FTE for maintenance of the 1300 South
Ballpark, and how long the Administration anticipates the position will be needed, and if this could be
filled with a contractual position instead, to establish clear expectations and save benefits costs.
3. The Council may wish to ask the Administration if, with the reduction in crossing guard positions, there
will be an adequate number of crossing guards to ensure safe crosswalks and compliance with State
requirements.
ITEM SCHEDULE:
Briefing: May 21, 2026
Public Hearing: May 19 & June 2
Potential Action: June 9 or TBD
Page | 2
4. City-owned asset maintenance, like roads, can often be behind schedule despite significant investments
of staff and fiscal resources in recent years.
o The Council may wish to ask for more information on funding timelines and strategies, and
whether the most urgent concerns are sufficiently funded.
o The Council may wish to hold a policy discussion on overall goals for City-owned asset
conditions.
o The Council may wish to discuss with the Department the goals for street maintenance.
Is the proposed funding for streets maintenance sufficient to meet the Council’s goals?
Is the funding distribution between local and major roads meeting the Council’s policy
goals?
The Council may wish to ask the Administration what the public may see as a result of
Streets Division reductions, particularly accident repairs.
5. The Council may wish to ask about how plans for City facilities, expansion, and remodeling will be
considered over the coming year.
KEY ELEMENTS OF THE MAYOR’S FY 2027 PUBLIC SERVICES BUDGET PROPOSAL
The Administration provided the following mission statement for the proposed FY 2027 budget:
“Public Services is a team of professionals who value transparency, efficiency, and dignity. We are committed
to providing essential municipal services and accessible public spaces for Salt Lake City by investing public
funds effectively, efficiently, and sustainably to make life better throughout the community.”
Across its divisions, Public Services included approximately $2 million in ongoing savings in the proposed FY
2027 budget. These efficiencies include $629,400 in operating budgets and $300,000 in capital expenses. New
street projects, the addition of facilities to be maintained by Public Services, and economic shifts may lead to
future increases. Separated by division, staff has highlighted some key aspects of the Mayor’s Recommended FY
2027 Public Services Budget below:
Administrative Services ($6,758,134, 21 FTEs)
The Administrative Services Division sets standards and strategies to improve public service and City assets. The
division manages technology, communications, finances, special projects, building operations, capital and
information management, strategic planning, security, and department policies.
Key changes to the Administrative Services FY 2027 budget include:
Contractual & Inflationary Increase: $362,200
Public Services has included $278,800 in increases for department-managed contracts. The department
oversees hundreds of contractual services with pre-determined increases set by contract. A request for
$83,400 associated with utility and inflationary increases is also proposed.
Architectural and Construction Management ($2,188,088, 13 FTEs)
The Architectural and Construction Management Division (ACM) oversees city facility construction projects.
ACM is led by the City Architect. The division manages construction procurement for City facilities, provides
cost estimation consulting, and is responsible for design and construction management. While impacted by
contractual and inflationary increases, there are no FY 2027 ACM Division-specific key changes.
Facilities ($10,098,986, 35 FTEs)
The Facility Services Division is responsible for maintaining 98 City-owned buildings, totaling over 2.89 million
square feet. The division manages technology systems for tracking building conditions, performs maintenance
and repairs of City facilities, manages utilities, and projects costs to preserve city assets over time.
Key changes to the Facility Division FY 2027 budget include:
Page | 3
Time Limited - Ballpark Partnership with Community Reinvestment Agency (CRA) – Building Admin
Position - 1 FTE (10 Months): $107,250
The Council may consider a Legislative Intent to clearly define when the Ballpark
Administrator position will be eliminated from the staffing document, or if it could
be achieved with a contract.
Reclassification of 2 Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) to Facilities Tech Employees (this is also noted in
Urban Services Division)
Reduce Utilities Budget in the Facilities Division: ($230,000)
Streets ($18,960,047, 117 FTEs)
Note: The Streets Division is
separate from the Transportation and the Engineering Divisions, which are in the Community and
Neighborhoods Department. The Transportation and Engineering Divisions reconstruct roadways while the
Streets Division handles maintenance.
Salt Lake City Roadway OCI Ranges by Percent
Courtesy of the 2025 Pavement Condition Survey completed by Roadway Asset Services
1 to determine roadway conditions and prioritize maintenance. The 2025 Pavement
Condition Survey prepared by Roadway Asset Services determined that the citywide average OCI was 66, which
1 SLC Pavement Condition Map
Page | 4
places the median Salt Lake street in the “Fair” category. The following is a summary table of the overall Salt
Lake streets OCI range.
Salt Lake City Roadway OCI Ranges per Collection Year
Courtesy of the 2025 Pavement Condition Survey completed by Roadway Asset Services
Reduce Operating Budgets in the Streets Division: ($154,400)
Urban Services ($10,189,417, 70 FTEs)
Eliminate 11 Vacant Crossing Guard Positions: ($87,700)
Reduce Advantage Services Contract: ($1,000,000)
Reduce Operating Budgets in the Urban Services Division: ($245,500)
Page | 5
Reclassification of 2 Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) to Facilities Tech Employees (this is noted in Facilities
as well)
ATTACHMENTS
19:28
05/19/2026
Page 1 of 5
Overview
Overview
Inactive No
View As Of 05/19/2026
Date of Last Change 08/21/2025 08:31:12.185
Job Profile Name Facilities – Building Administrator
Job Code 002896
Include Job Code in Name No
Job Profile Summary Reporting to the Facilities Division Director, incumbent is responsible for the comfort, convenience, safety, efficiency, and good repair of the
city buildings assigned to their portfolio. This position will maintain a broad knowledge of building and occupant needs for the purposes of
various uses, events and needs.
TYPICAL DUTIES:
Makes regular inspections of the building(s), reporting any needs for maintenance, repair or replacement to the Facilities
Division through the established work order system.
•
Fields and routes requests for service and specific needs to appropriate resources.•
Coordinates with Special Events and Real Estate Services, responds to special event requests that may take place inside
and around building(s).
•
Responsible for the ordering, receiving, inspecting, inventorying, scheduling and coordinating the installation of office furniture
and equipment.
•
Reads and interprets technical drawings for space assessment and needs. May be required to obtain measurements and
provide specifications to relevant service providers.
•
Provides support to city employees on additions, relocations and removal of surplus furniture fixtures and equipment.•
Prepares detailed plans for office configuration and furniture placement at the request of any Department occupying the
building (s). Where applicable, such plans shall be compatible with the historical nature of the building and shall preserve the
architectural fabric of the building. Fabrics, colors, and styles shall be consistent with the building's history, design, and
architecture.
•
Communicate with on-call contractors and/or office furniture vendors to provide cost estimates for requested office systems or
remodels. Reviewing the initial estimate with the requesting party to remain consistent with budget constraints for each
project.
•
Coordinates and schedules work and installation of various building amenities and fixtures.•
Works closely with representatives of each contracted service in the building(s), such as security, janitorial and concessions.•
Coordinates with representatives of each Department occupying the building(s) on appropriate safety trainings, determining
frequency and relevant contents.
•
Performs other related duties as assigned.•
Job Description
19:28
05/19/2026
Page 2 of 5
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from an accredited college or university with an associates degree or technical certification in Drafting,
Construction, Mechanical Systems or related field.
•
Experience providing customer service at different organizational levels, from executives to occasional users.•
Demonstrated ability to operate computer technologies, including knowledge of Microsoft Windows, Word, PowerPoint and
Excel. Proficiency with vector drawing applications.
•
Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills. Strong interpersonal and customer relation skills with the ability to
work with the customers on a daily basis.
•
Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision.•
Ability to travel to and from different buildings in the city, including multiple times throughout the day as required to perform
necessary functions.
•
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Interior design certification•
Working knowledge of AutoCAD•
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Routinely lift light to moderate, sometimes awkward weights. Occasional requirement for heavy lifting (50 pounds or more).•
Some exposure to stressful situations as a result of human behavior and time constraints.•
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by persons assigned to this job. They
are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required of personnel so classified.
All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.
Additional Job Description
POSITION TYPE
Full-Time / Part-Time / Seasonal
POSITION SALARY RANGE
$ - $
DEPARTMENT
XX
19:28
05/19/2026
Page 3 of 5
Job Title Default
Restrict to Country
Restrict to Organization
Management Level Individual Contributor
Job Family General Maintenance Worker III
Job Classifications 600 - (Professional 600)
PROFESSIONALS - (EEO-4 Job Classification)
Work Shift Required No
Public Job Yes
Referral Payment Plan
Characteristics
Difficulty to Fill
Critical Job No
Compensation
Compensation Grade E27
Compensation Grade Profile
Impacted Eligibility Rules
Business Process History
Business Process History
Business Process Effective Date Initiated On Completed On Status
Qualifications
Certifications
Certification
Required Country Certification (Predefined)Certification (Not Predefined)Issuer (Not Predefined)
Skills
Skill Attributes
Required Skill Skill Level
Competencies
Competencies from Other Sources
19:28
05/19/2026
Page 4 of 5
Required Competency Target Rating Source Source Type
Education
Education
Required Degree Field of Study
Languages
Languages
Required Language Ability Proficiency
Responsibilities
Responsibilities
Required Responsibility
Training
Training
Required Training Training Type Description
Work Experience
Work Experience
Required Work Experience Experience Level
Equivalence Rule
Equivalence Rule
Equivalence Rule Derived Logic
Pay
Pay Rate Type
Pay Rate Types
Country Pay Rate Type
United States of America Salary
19:28
05/19/2026
Page 5 of 5
Job Exempt
Job Exempt
Country / Country Region Job Exempt
United States of America Yes
Workers' Compensation Code
Worker's Compensation Codes
Workers' Compensation Code Country Country Region Location
4 - Municipal (United States of America)United States of America
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICES
SALT LAKE CITY BUDGET FY27
Introduction
•The Public Services Department is comprised of 6
Divisions:Administrative Services,Architecture &
Construction Management, Facilities, Fleet,Streets, &
Urban Services.
•We currently have full-time employees & part-
time/ seasonal employees.
•Our department is at the receiving end of planning efforts
across City Departments. Projects & initiatives approved in
prior years have a future impact on our operations.
Public Services Department Budget FY27
Facilities Electrician
•Assumed management responsibilities of the Ballpark and Old Library Building
•Creation of the Urban Services Division
•Improvements to roadway condition after 3 years of the Mill & Overlay Program
Ballpark Old Library Urban Services
Accomplishments
Public Services Department Budget FY27
Public Services Department Budget FY27
•Close monitoring of the effectiveness of contracted
cleanup services led to a better distribution of work
orders & significant cost savings
•Cellphone carrier switch
•Delegation of procurement authority to the City Architect
Efficiencies & Savings
Overview
Public Services Department Budget FY27
Requests
+$685,260*
(ongoing)
FTE: +1 / PTE: +0
*including $215,810 appropriated to the
Fleet Fund
Reductions
-$2,067,100
FTE: +0 / PTE: -11
$48,752,003
FTEs: 255 / PTEs : 126
FY26 GF Base Budget
$48,194,672
FTEs: 256 / PTEs : 115
FY27 GF Base Budget
Reduction Summary
Public Services Department Budget FY27
Priority Description Reduced Cost
1 Operating budget: Change in cellphone carrier $50,000
2 Contract: Advantage Services $1,000,000
3 Personnel: Eliminate 11 PT vacant crossing guard positions $87,700
4 Operating budget: Capital expenses $300,000
5 Operating budget: Streets, Urban Services, &Facilities $629,400
Total cuts: -$2,067,100
Request Summary
Public Services Department Budget FY27
Description Cost
FTEs/PTEs
Ongoing
One-Time
1 Contractual, inflationary, & City-wide utility increases $362,200 Ongoing
2 3 Vehicles (not funded in previous years): appropriated to Fleet $206,410
$9,400
One-Time
Ongoing
3 Ballpark Management: 1 time-limited Building Administrator $107,250
1 FTE
Ongoing
Total Ongoing request: $685,260
Public Services Department Budget FY27
Contractual Inflationary Utilities
Amount $278,800 $13,400 $70,000
Description
Contracts terms establish an annual
escalation on pricing, typically tied to
the CPI
This is the projected increase for
supplies with prices not
negotiated via contract
Annual fee increases from
utility providers for City-wide
buildings
Examples
•Software fees & maintenance for
additional EV charging stations.
•Operational materials, i.e., asphalt,
concrete, building supplies,
janitorial, etc.
•Miscellaneous, i.e., laundry &
uniform, printer services, postage,
etc.
•Stationery
•PPE
•Other consumables
Increases:
•Water 7%
•Sewer 6%
•Storm 5%
•Street lighting 10%
•Garbage 5%
Total request: $362,200Request Details
Public Services Department Budget FY27
Description Cost
FTEs/PTEs
Ongoing or
One-Time
3 Vehicles (Not funded in previous years)$206,410
$9,400
One-Time
Ongoing
Expected Benefit
These vehicles will be assigned to the Signs and Markings crew & will enable to team to perform duties
more efficiently. Staff on this team work very independently in different locations throughout the City as
they repair signs & perform preventive maintenance.
Facilities is currently sharing two vehicles across 5 supervisors/managers. One additional vehicle has
been requested to enable supervisors/managers to more effectively support teams in the field, inspect
facilities & identify needed work.
Request Details
Public Services Department Budget FY27
Description Cost
FTEs/PTEs
Ongoing or
One-Time
Ballpark Management: 1 time-limited Building
Administrator
$107,250
1 FTE
Ongoing
Expected Benefit
Since the Bees departure, the additional workload for the Ballpark has been significant. The facility is
aging out and needs constant attention – from constant leaks, to HVAC monitoring and adjusting, to
substantial landscape management and pest control, this facility has strained resources throughout the
Department. The expanded activation will only elevate the issue. The additional activation via CRA will
also require a high level of coordination and presence, in order for events to run smoothly. The position
will allow Public Services and CRA staff to continue with their core functions while issues with the
Ballpark are managed full time.
Request Details
Public Services Department Budget FY27
Line item Recommendation
Public charging fee at EV charging stations Up to $0.25 / kWh
Description
The intent is to promote turnover at highly used stations while helping offset
the cost to the City to offer this service, including electricity, software fees and
repairs.
New Fee - Public Electic Vehicle Charging
THANK YOU
Questions?
Reduction Details
Public Services Department Budget FY27
Description Reduced Cost
FTEs/PTEs
% of Current
Budget
Reduce Advantage Services Contract in Urban Services $1,030,000 49.88%
Anticipated Impact
Current level of use will be maintained as projected during FY27; the
reduction is a result of efficiencies found after the creation of Urban
Services but eliminates the ability to quickly escalate services if needed.
Reduction Details
Public Services Department Budget FY27
Description Reduced Cost
FTEs/PTEs
% of Current
Budget
Personnel
positions $87,700 9.1%
Anticipated Impact
No operational impact. Mandated locations are covered by existing
staffing levels.
Reduction Details
Public Services Department Budget FY27
Description Reduced Cost
FTEs/PTEs
% of Current
Budget
Reduce capital expense in operating budgets $300,000 91%
Anticipated Impact
Significantly reduces the ability to accommodate promptly small building
improvements/one-off projects for other departments, i.e., window blind
replacement, carpet replacement, workspace adjustments, etc.
Reduction to Operational Budgets
Public Services Department Budget FY27
Streets Facilities Urban Services
Amount $154,400 $230,000 $245,500
What is being
cut/reduced?
•Training budgets
•Out of town travel
•Non-landfill waste fees
•Funding for special projects
•Accident repairs
•Ballpark utilities
•Professional & technical services
•Building & housing repairs
•Vehicle disposal fees
•Out of town travel
•Building repairs
•Towing services
What is the
impact?
•Lower attendance at regional conferences
•Stockpiling/strategic hauling to better
regulate non-landfill waste fees
•Reducing ability to respond to one off
projects (barricades, unscheduled sign
installation, etc.)
•Lowering amount budget to cover vehicle
repairs to due at fault accidents to better
meet long term average cost
•Funding for Ballpark utility costs will
need to be appropriated annually
•Deferring work orders that don’t
related to comfort (water & energy)
•Slower implementation of ADA
upgrades
•Lower attendance at regional
conferences
•Delay on RV removal & disposal
Total cuts: -$629,900
Affected Department Proposed
Budget
Budget w/out
Tax Change
Budget
Change Impact of Tax Increase
Fire Department $59,302,822 $57,552,568 $1,800,218 Sugar House has seen extensive growth including the development of new
highrise buildings. This increase will fund 9 firefighters to staff a newly purchased
fire truck and allow for fuel and maintenance of the old apparatus for use as a
reserve. Continued increase in requests for permits, along with statutory changes
to the Wildland Fire Interface (WUI) requirements have created the need for one
new Fire Inspector. This increase will also cover a new vehicle for the Fire
Inspector, contractual and uniform allowance increases.
Salt Lake City’s current property tax rate 0.00213
Salt Lake City’s current property revenue $108,006,905
Proposed revenue with tax changes $121,506,905
New Property Tax Revenue to Salt Lake City $13,500,000
Estimated increase to Salt Lake City’s property tax revenue 12.50%
Estimated increase to a primary residence valued at $624,000 $118.38
Estimated increase to a commercial property valued at $1 M $344.93
105/05/2026
FY26-27 Proposed Property Tax
Impact Schedule
Salt Lake City will consider an increase to the property tax rate from .00213 To .00248
to generate an additional $13,500,000.
The following information is intended to provide decision makers and the public with
an explanation of how the City’s operations would be affected if the property tax
remains the same.
Affected Department Proposed
Budget
Budget w/out
Tax Change
Budget
Change Impact of Tax Increase
Public Lands $34,321,961 $33,199,033 $1,122,928 Public Lands is responsible for maintaining 23 new properties, parks and
amenities, this increase includes additional seasonal staff, equipment and
operational costs related to maintaining these properties. This budget change will
also pay for Wildland Fire Interface mitigation covering 30 miles of high risk areas.
Justice Court $7,538,063 $7,106,052 $432,011 Caseload at the Justice Court has increased significantly. To provide for more
effective adjudication of cases and allow better access to justice, this increase
includes the addition of four Judicial Assistants and one Justice Court Manager.
Attorney $13,274,426 $13,146,702 $127,722 To provide for continued implementation of Diversion Programs, the Public Safety
Plan and accommodate a new Judge at the Justice Court, this increase includes the
addition of two Prosecutorial Assistants.
Community & Neighborhoods $41,407,546 $ 40,607,546 $800,000 This increase will maintain current Youth and Family programming following the
loss of several major grant funding sources.
Street Lighting Fund Transfer $401,315 $170,400 $230,915 This increase will pay for the maintenance and repair of General Fund owned
street lighting and fund a $20,000 grant program to supplement property owners
who wish to add privately owned streetlights.
Sustainability Fund Transfer $1,170,900 $670,900 $500,000 This increase will support the Environment & Energy Division as they develop
strategies that protect our natural resources and reduce pollution.
Capital Improvement Projects Fund
Transfer
$10,100,000 $3,636,964 $6,463,036 Funds from this increase will used to pay for the following Capital Improvement
projects: Vision Zero Corridors and Safety Improvements, Facilities Replacement
and Renewal, Sugar House Park Waterline Replacement, Washington Park Septic
Expansion, Urban Trails, Jordan Park Sewer Improvements, Bike Racks, and
additional Street Reconstruction.
Fleet Centralized Maintenance Fund $12,788,795 $11,726,968 $1,061,827 Continued increases to the cost of parts, fuel and labor to maintain and repair Salt
Lake City’s fleet of vehicles.
NonDepartment/Legal Defender
Association
$2,755,153 $1,793,810 $961,343 In response to increased caseload at the Justice Court, the Legal Defender contract
has been increased to allow for new staff to provide indigent defense.
Totals $183,060,981 $169,610,943 $13,500,000
205/05/2026
CITY COUNCIL OF SALT LAKE CITY
451 SOUTH STATE STREET, ROOM 304
P.O. BOX 145476, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84114-5476
SLCCOUNCIL.COM
TEL 801-535-7600 FAX 801-535-7651
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL of SALT LAKE CITY
www.slc.gov/council/
link.slc.gov/SLCFY27
TO:City Council Members
FROM: Michael Sanders
Budget & Policy Analyst
DATE:May 21, 2026
RE: FY27 BUDGET – FIRE DEPARTMENT
Budget Book Pages: Key Changes – 54 - 55, Department Overview – 199 - 204, Staffing Document
– 303 - 304
ISSUE AT-A-GLANCE:
The Fire Department includes the Office of the Fire Chief and three divisions – Administration, Operations, and
Community Risk Reduction. For more information on the Department overview see, pages 199 - 204 of the
Budget Book.
The FY27 proposed Fire Department budget is $59,302,822 which increases budget by 8.26%,
approximately $4,522,7922. There are 10 new full time equivalent (FTE) requests which are planned to be
funded by the proposed property tax increase. If these FTE’s were approved, it would raise the staffing count to
416 FTEs The Department budget is summarized below.
Page | 2
$4,262,183 Increase for Personnel Services
The total personnel services budget is proposed to increase by $4,262,186 or 8.28%. Personnel costs represent
94% of the total department budget. The increases related to personnel are summarized in the chart below.
This budget includes $40,000 in continued funding from BA #4 regarding wildland firefighting expansions
which will allow for increased staffing during periods of extreme fire weather from July – October.
This budget proposes increasing property taxes to support 10 months of funding for 10 FTEs ($1,474,054) which
includes:
9 Firefighters – to be assigned to Fire Truck #3 servicing the Sugar House area
1 Civilian Supervisor / Fire Inspector
This budget includes $35,000 in continued funding from BA #4 regarding wildland firefighting expansion which
will be used for operations such as periodic training and personal protective equipment needs.
There are $276,200 worth of operations costs which are proposed to be funded through a property tax increase
Fire Department Contractual Increases - $84,000
o This is funding for anticipated increases related to various department contracts
Fire MOU Contractual Increases – Uniform Allowances - $40,600
o This increase is required per the terms of the Local 81 MOU and will raise the uniform
allowance for FY27 by $100 per sworn member. There are 406 sworn personnel eligible for this
benefit
Operating Costs for new FTE’s
o Civilian Supervisor / Fire Inspector operating costs – 2,600
o New Firefighters operating costs - $74,000
Fuel and Maintenance for Reserve Truck - $75,000
o The department currently in possession of an old apparatus. Rather than send it to auction, the
Department is proposing to retain it as a reserve truck. This money would fund operational
costs and fuel
Page | 3
Consolidated Fee Schedule
The Fire Department charges fees for certain services. These fees are listed in the Consolidated Fee Schedule.
Please see Attachment 2 for the proposed Fire Department Fee updates.
POLICY QUESTIONS
1.MRT/CHAT Teams – The Council may wish to ask the Administration what resources would be
needed to create a 4th MRT/CHAT team and where it would be best deployed to further reduce heavy
apparatus use for low-acuity calls. See pages 5-6 below.
– The Council may wish to ask for an update regarding the legislative intent –
Evaluating Efficiencies of All Diversified Response Teams FY26 response on the metrics that are being
identified for the ongoing evaluation of the programs. See pages 5-6 below.
3.Universities Service Responses - The Council may wish to ask the Administration to evaluate how
to approach Universities within the city’s jurisdiction to start discussions about partial or full cost
recovery regarding Fire Department responses related to the Universities. See University of Utah data
on page 6 below.
4.Homeless Resource Center Response - The Council may wish to discuss with the Administration
has considered if there is a creative way to address responses to this unique public safety issue, similar
to the MRT’s deployed several years ago, since the need is so acute in these areas. See pages 6-7 below.
ADDITIONAL & BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Over the next five years, the Fire Department anticipates continued growth in service demand driven by
increasing population and commuter activity in Salt Lake City. To address this demand, the Department has
identified the need for an additional fire station in the downtown area near 400 South and West Temple to
support service needs associated with growth of residential and commercial activity in this area, including the
Sports, Entertainment, Culture, and Convention District development area. The proposed station would house at
least one additional heavy fire apparatus and a squad unit, requiring approximately 15 full-time employees and
six more for a squad (total 21). The department also sees need for infrastructure improvements to renovate and
possibly re-build 3 existing stations.
Poor Condition
o Station 5
o Station 6
Enlargement need for additional response capability
o Station 7
In addition, current CHAT staffing levels are not sufficient to meet growing social service demands. The existing
team of seven staff currently operates six days per week across two squad locations and includes a single CHAT
manager overseeing both operational and follow-up responsibilities. Additionally, two social workers operate
out of the Public Safety Building focusing on case management.
The department estimates that adding five additional social workers would significantly improve service
availability and strengthen support for ongoing case management and community response needs.
The Fire Department stated that the primary objective of the proposed FY27 budget is to support the
department’s mission of providing “unparalleled fire, rescue, and emergency medical services” to the
community. The department indicated that the budget also supports proactive fire prevention, community
engagement, and workforce development initiatives. According to the department, the budget serves as a
strategic framework to project and monitor expenditures and revenues necessary to maintain service levels. The
department tracks a variety of operational and performance metrics, including firefighter training hours,
Page | 4
inspections performed, response volume, response times, injury data, hiring demographics, and CHAT program
calls for service.
Cost-Saving Measures and Operational Efficiencies
Staffing and Vacancy Information
Proposed Additions and Service Enhancements
Property Tax and Ongoing Costs
Page | 5
increases, $40,600 for uniform allowance contractual increases, and approximately $75,000 annually for fuel
and maintenance costs associated with a new reserve truck. The department stated that no existing programs or
services rely on a property tax increase to continue operations. The department also reported that no ongoing
costs are supported with one-time funding sources.
Technology and Interdepartmental Coordination
MRT & CHAT
Medical Response Teams are specialized units within the Salt Lake City Fire Department that pair
firefighter/EMTs with Medical Response Paramedics (MRPs). These teams provide advanced medical
assessments and care in the field, in lieu of heavy fire apparatus. MRTs improve operational efficiency by
reducing strain on traditional fire apparatus and allowing sworn firefighters to focus on other staffing needs.
Currently, four MRTs are active, including one at the Salt Lake City Airport, staffed by a total of 16 MRPs/EMTs.
University of Utah
There were approximately 1800 calls at the University of Utah in 2025, with an average of 1675 calls per year
over the last four years (see graph below). The districts that cover the U of U also include some surrounding
areas.
Page | 6
Homelessness Response
The Fire Department continues to experience a high volume of calls for service to Homeless Resource Centers
(HRCs) within Salt Lake City, many of which are low-acuity medical incidents. These calls place an operational
burden on fire crews in the affected districts, diverting resources that could be deployed to more critical
emergencies elsewhere.
ATTACHMENTS
Page | 7
Attachment 1
Community Health Access Team Data
2025 CHAT DATA
CHAT 1 (PSB) Scene Responses: 207
CHAT 5 (Station 5) Scene Responses:632
CHAT 6 (Station 6) Scene Responses: 414
CHAT Total Scene Responses:1253
ER Transport Avoided:351 of 718 (49%)
FD Heavy Apparatus Avoided:714 of 953 (75%)
FD Heavy Apparatus Released:196 of 254 (77%)
PD Intervention Avoided:370 of 703 (53%)
Total # Substance/ Psych Calls for all of SLCFD 4179 (CHAT responded
on 765)
Crew Referrals Received For Follow Up 784
Referrals Due To CHAT UNAVAILABLE 400
After Hours 165
Unknown 156
Sunday 71
Holiday 8
Referral Outcome #
Case Manager Referral 15
Home Health Referral 62
Developed Care Plan 4
Hospice Referral 6
Mental Health Referral 24
Physician Referral/Fourth Street 10
Refused Care 133
Currently in Care 98
Other 133
Skilled Nursing Facility 12
SUD Rehab/Treatment/Bridge 23
Unable to Contact 33
APS/CPS Referral 6
Shelter Resources/Unsheltered Needs 15
Page | 8
Page | 9
Attachment 2
Consolidated Fee Schedule Updates (Fire Department)
Page | 10
Page | 11
SALT LAKE CITY FIRE
DEPARTMENT BUDGET 26-27
Providing a Unified and Cohesive budget overview from
each department and fund
Introduction
Department Budget FY 26 -27
•406 Employees
•14 Fire Stations strategically located across the city
•Approximately 45,000 calls for service in 2025
•Department Divisions:
•Operations
•Medical
•Fire Prevention Bureau
•Training
•Logistics
•Community Relations
•Airport
•Emergency Management
Accomplishments
Department Budget FY 26 -27
•Retained Class 1 ISO
•Completed Station #1 Bay Extension
•Completed MOU with Salt Lake City School District
•Eliminated Toxic Aircraft Firefighting Foam (AFFF)
Efficiencies
Department Budget FY 26 -27
•Assigned Temporary Firefighter(s) to the Fire Prevention Bureau
•Created Wildland Coordinator Position (no additional FTE’s)
•Restructured Community Relations Division (no additional FTE’s)
•Retained Core Operations w/ Flat Budget (no additional FTE’s)
•Fire/Police Department Collaboration
Overview
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Request
Scenario
Other Budgetary
Changes Total
+1,550,654
FTE: +10 $2,972,135
Includes BA #4
$59,302,819
FTE: 416
Cut Scenario Total
General Operating Cuts (-50,594)
$54,780,030
FTEs: 406 / PTE: 0
Current FY26
Budget
Request Scenario
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Current FY26 Change FY 27 Total
Personnel Services $51,472,512 $2,748,129 $54,220,641
Contracts/
Inflationary $598,615 $84,000 $682,615
Capital $135,000 $0 $135,000
Other $2,573,903 $40,600 $2,614,503
New Insights $1,575,060
FTE: 10.0 $1,575,060
BA #4 $75,000 $75,000
Total $54,780,030
FTEs: 406.0
+$4,522,789
FTE: +10.0
$59,302,819
FTE: 416
Request Scenario Details
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Insights Description, Justification, &
Anticipated Benefits
Cost
FTEs/PTEs
Ongoing or
One-Time
1
This is the total increase Fire
is anticipating for their year-to-year contracts in FY
2027
$84,000.00 Ongoing
2
There is a contractual
uniform allowance increase of $100/406
employees.
$40,600.00 Ongoing
3
•Continued growth and development of SLC.
•Permits increased by 600 over the last 3 years.
•Reassignment(s) reduce delay from 8 to 4 weeks.
•Requires the use of Operations FFs.
•HB 48 WUI requirements will increase workload.
$119,600 / 1.0 FTE
$117,000 ongoing/
$2,600 one-time
Ongoing & One-time
Mayor ’s Recommended Budget Request Scenario Details
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Insights Description, Justification, &
Anticipated Benefits
Cost
FTEs/PTEs
Ongoing or
One-Time
4
•$2.4M truck purchased in 2022.
•In service at Station 3 (Sugar House/4th truck).
•Increased high-rise building development.
•Vulnerable population, vertical growth & density.
$1,431,054 / 9.0 FTE
$1,357,054 Ongoing/
$74,000 One-time
Ongoing
5 •Retain replaced truck as a reserve apparatus.
•Funding is for operational costs and fuel.
$75,000 Ongoing
Cut Scenario
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Current Change Total
Personnel Services $51,472,512 $0 $51,472,512
Contracts $598,615 $0 $598,615
Capital $135,000 $0 $135,000
Other $2,573,903 ($50,594)$2,523,309
New Insights $0 $0
$54,780,030
FTEs: 396.0 ($50,594)$54,729,436
Cut Scenario Details
Department Budget FY 26 -27
Insights Description & Anticipated Impact of
Service Reduction
Reduced Cost
FTEs/PTEs
Ongoing or
One-Time
1 An additional $50,594 in general budget cuts
were made.
($50,594)Ongoing
THANK YOU
Affected Department Proposed
Budget
Budget w/out
Tax Change
Budget
Change Impact of Tax Increase
Fire Department $59,302,822 $57,552,568 $1,800,218 Sugar House has seen extensive growth including the development of new
highrise buildings. This increase will fund 9 firefighters to staff a newly purchased
fire truck and allow for fuel and maintenance of the old apparatus for use as a
reserve. Continued increase in requests for permits, along with statutory changes
to the Wildland Fire Interface (WUI) requirements have created the need for one
new Fire Inspector. This increase will also cover a new vehicle for the Fire
Inspector, contractual and uniform allowance increases.
Salt Lake City’s current property tax rate 0.00213
Salt Lake City’s current property revenue $108,006,905
Proposed revenue with tax changes $121,506,905
New Property Tax Revenue to Salt Lake City $13,500,000
Estimated increase to Salt Lake City’s property tax revenue 12.50%
Estimated increase to a primary residence valued at $624,000 $118.38
Estimated increase to a commercial property valued at $1 M $344.93
105/05/2026
FY26-27 Proposed Property Tax
Impact Schedule
Salt Lake City will consider an increase to the property tax rate from .00213 To .00248
to generate an additional $13,500,000.
The following information is intended to provide decision makers and the public with
an explanation of how the City’s operations would be affected if the property tax
remains the same.
Affected Department Proposed
Budget
Budget w/out
Tax Change
Budget
Change Impact of Tax Increase
Public Lands $34,321,961 $33,199,033 $1,122,928 Public Lands is responsible for maintaining 23 new properties, parks and
amenities, this increase includes additional seasonal staff, equipment and
operational costs related to maintaining these properties. This budget change will
also pay for Wildland Fire Interface mitigation covering 30 miles of high risk areas.
Justice Court $7,538,063 $7,106,052 $432,011 Caseload at the Justice Court has increased significantly. To provide for more
effective adjudication of cases and allow better access to justice, this increase
includes the addition of four Judicial Assistants and one Justice Court Manager.
Attorney $13,274,426 $13,146,702 $127,722 To provide for continued implementation of Diversion Programs, the Public Safety
Plan and accommodate a new Judge at the Justice Court, this increase includes the
addition of two Prosecutorial Assistants.
Community & Neighborhoods $41,407,546 $ 40,607,546 $800,000 This increase will maintain current Youth and Family programming following the
loss of several major grant funding sources.
Street Lighting Fund Transfer $401,315 $170,400 $230,915 This increase will pay for the maintenance and repair of General Fund owned
street lighting and fund a $20,000 grant program to supplement property owners
who wish to add privately owned streetlights.
Sustainability Fund Transfer $1,170,900 $670,900 $500,000 This increase will support the Environment & Energy Division as they develop
strategies that protect our natural resources and reduce pollution.
Capital Improvement Projects Fund
Transfer
$10,100,000 $3,636,964 $6,463,036 Funds from this increase will used to pay for the following Capital Improvement
projects: Vision Zero Corridors and Safety Improvements, Facilities Replacement
and Renewal, Sugar House Park Waterline Replacement, Washington Park Septic
Expansion, Urban Trails, Jordan Park Sewer Improvements, Bike Racks, and
additional Street Reconstruction.
Fleet Centralized Maintenance Fund $12,788,795 $11,726,968 $1,061,827 Continued increases to the cost of parts, fuel and labor to maintain and repair Salt
Lake City’s fleet of vehicles.
NonDepartment/Legal Defender
Association
$2,755,153 $1,793,810 $961,343 In response to increased caseload at the Justice Court, the Legal Defender contract
has been increased to allow for new staff to provide indigent defense.
Totals $183,060,981 $169,610,943 $13,500,000
205/05/2026
Affected Department Proposed
Budget
Budget w/out
Tax Change
Budget
Change Impact of Tax Increase
Fire Department $59,302,822 $57,552,568 $1,800,218 Sugar House has seen extensive growth including the development of new
highrise buildings. This increase will fund 9 firefighters to staff a newly purchased
fire truck and allow for fuel and maintenance of the old apparatus for use as a
reserve. Continued increase in requests for permits, along with statutory changes
to the Wildland Fire Interface (WUI) requirements have created the need for one
new Fire Inspector. This increase will also cover a new vehicle for the Fire
Inspector, contractual and uniform allowance increases.
Salt Lake City’s current property tax rate 0.00213
Salt Lake City’s current property revenue $108,006,905
Proposed revenue with tax changes $121,506,905
New Property Tax Revenue to Salt Lake City $13,500,000
Estimated increase to Salt Lake City’s property tax revenue 12.50%
Estimated increase to a primary residence valued at $624,000 $118.38
Estimated increase to a commercial property valued at $1 M $344.93
105/05/2026
FY26-27 Proposed Property Tax
Impact Schedule
Salt Lake City will consider an increase to the property tax rate from .00213 To .00248
to generate an additional $13,500,000.
The following information is intended to provide decision makers and the public with
an explanation of how the City’s operations would be affected if the property tax
remains the same.
Affected Department Proposed
Budget
Budget w/out
Tax Change
Budget
Change Impact of Tax Increase
Public Lands $34,321,961 $33,199,033 $1,122,928 Public Lands is responsible for maintaining 23 new properties, parks and
amenities, this increase includes additional seasonal staff, equipment and
operational costs related to maintaining these properties. This budget change will
also pay for Wildland Fire Interface mitigation covering 30 miles of high risk areas.
Justice Court $7,538,063 $7,106,052 $432,011 Caseload at the Justice Court has increased significantly. To provide for more
effective adjudication of cases and allow better access to justice, this increase
includes the addition of four Judicial Assistants and one Justice Court Manager.
Attorney $13,274,426 $13,146,702 $127,722 To provide for continued implementation of Diversion Programs, the Public Safety
Plan and accommodate a new Judge at the Justice Court, this increase includes the
addition of two Prosecutorial Assistants.
Community & Neighborhoods $41,407,546 $ 40,607,546 $800,000 This increase will maintain current Youth and Family programming following the
loss of several major grant funding sources.
Street Lighting Fund Transfer $401,315 $170,400 $230,915 This increase will pay for the maintenance and repair of General Fund owned
street lighting and fund a $20,000 grant program to supplement property owners
who wish to add privately owned streetlights.
Sustainability Fund Transfer $1,170,900 $670,900 $500,000 This increase will support the Environment & Energy Division as they develop
strategies that protect our natural resources and reduce pollution.
Capital Improvement Projects Fund
Transfer
$10,100,000 $3,636,964 $6,463,036 Funds from this increase will used to pay for the following Capital Improvement
projects: Vision Zero Corridors and Safety Improvements, Facilities Replacement
and Renewal, Sugar House Park Waterline Replacement, Washington Park Septic
Expansion, Urban Trails, Jordan Park Sewer Improvements, Bike Racks, and
additional Street Reconstruction.
Fleet Centralized Maintenance Fund $12,788,795 $11,726,968 $1,061,827 Continued increases to the cost of parts, fuel and labor to maintain and repair Salt
Lake City’s fleet of vehicles.
NonDepartment/Legal Defender
Association
$2,755,153 $1,793,810 $961,343 In response to increased caseload at the Justice Court, the Legal Defender contract
has been increased to allow for new staff to provide indigent defense.
Totals $183,060,981 $169,610,943 $13,500,000
205/05/2026