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American Fork adopts interim FY2027 budget amid debate over property tax and firefighter hires
Summary
The American Fork City Council adopted an interim FY2027 budget on June 23 after extended discussion about whether a proposed property tax increase should be explicitly tied to hiring firefighters and wage increases. Councilmembers emphasized the interim nature of the adoption and said final decisions will follow truth-in-taxation hearings.
The American Fork City Council voted to adopt an interim fiscal year 2027 budget on June 23, moving the city closer to implementing services for the coming year while leaving final tax and spending decisions to a later public hearing.
The resolution, moved by Councilmember Hunter and seconded by Councilmember Carroll, approved an interim budget effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. Councilmember roll-call votes recorded ayes from Hunter, John, Carroll, Holly and Mayor Pro Tem Clark Taylor; the motion carried.
The meeting’s longest debate centered on a proposed property tax increase and whether it should be described on the interim budget as funding specific items — notably 11 new firefighters and wage adjustments across city departments. Several councilmembers said the adoption is interim: the final budget and any tax rate will be adopted after the truth-in-taxation public hearing (scheduled in August) and can be amended.
Councilmember Tim (last name not specified in the transcript) argued the budget’s language made firefighter hires contingent on a property tax increase and urged the council instead to prioritize public safety and ensure the hires occur regardless of the tax vote. Others, including Councilmember Hunter and Mayor Pro Tem Taylor, said they intend to ensure funding for firefighters and that the interim adoption preserves flexibility for final decisions at the August hearing.
Finance staff said the interim budget follows new state procedures for the truth-in-taxation process and that set-aside funds tied to a proposed rate cannot be spent until after the hearing. Councilmembers discussed logistics including the timing of hires, the readiness of temporary station space, and operational constraints that may delay onboarding even if funding is approved.
Council members also discussed wage increases included in the budget and whether some raises could be trimmed to reduce reliance on a property tax increase. Several council members said maintaining competitive wages is important to retain staff and that health insurance and benefits increases factor into overall compensation costs.
The council emphasized the interim budget is a living document: staff said any final adjustments required by the truth-in-taxation outcome will be reflected in a revised final budget adopted by August 31.
Next steps: the council will hold the statutorily required public hearing on the proposed property tax rate and adopt a final budget after the truth-in-taxation process. Any specific hiring or one-time expenditures will be confirmed in that final adoption.
