Layton council moves to put RAMP reauthorization on November ballot after 10-year review

Layton City Council agreed on June 5 to place a ballot question asking voters to reauthorize the city's 0.1% RAMP sales-and-use tax on Nov. 4, 2025, after staff described how the fund has been used over the last decade.

City Parks and Recreation staff told the council the RAMP program has allocated more than $16 million to 277 grants since 2016, funding parks facilities, arts programs and museum exhibits. Kimberly, assistant parks and recreation director, and director Dave Price said allocations are split between capital projects and smaller program grants, with parks receiving the largest share and arts programs the most grants by count.

The measure does not raise tax rates, Price said, and staff recommended using the same ballot language the city used in 2015. Council members asked staff to consider whether the ballot description should say "reauthorization" rather than simply "authorization"; staff said they had reviewed options and opted to use the prior language but would revisit if council preferred. City staff will also schedule the public meeting(s) required by state law for proponents and opponents to present arguments at least four but not more than 45 days before the election.

Council voted on the consent agenda that included the RAMP placement resolution alongside several other items; the consent motion passed and the ballot question will move forward. Staff said more public outreach and a September public hearing on the ordinance will give residents further opportunity to review projects funded by RAMP and to submit comment.

What happens next: the city will finalize ballot language and hold the statutorily required public meetings; if voters reauthorize the tax, the existing local sales-and-use rate would remain the same and continue to fund recreation, arts, museums and parks projects supported by the RAMP commission.