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South Salt Lake council weighs utility fee rises, $11.7M in budget cuts and public-safety levy
Summary
The South Salt Lake City Council reviewed a proposed FY2026–27 budget that would shift some public safety costs into a Public Safety Service Fund (an estimated $7/month for the average homeowner), raise a combination of utility fees by about $10/month, and defer $11.7 million in projects to balance flat revenues.
South Salt Lake officials on June 10 presented a fiscally conservative proposed budget for fiscal year 2026–27 that would shift some public-safety funding into an enterprise-style Public Safety Service Fund and raise multiple utility fees.
Mayor Wood told the council the change to the Public Safety Service Fund would represent an estimated $7 per month for an average homeowner; combined adjustments across sewer, garbage and a new transportation utility fee were estimated to raise the typical single-family home’s monthly bill by roughly $10. To balance projected flat revenue, the city cut $11,700,000 from the draft budget by deferring capital projects, delaying at least the Fire Station 43 renovation, postponing police station parking improvements, removing $1,000,000 in planned vehicle replacements, and eliminating three full-time positions.
The mayor also reported the city would pass on higher healthcare premium costs to employees, estimating about a $100 monthly increase for employees on a family plan, and said that a 1 percent across-the-board salary increase would cost roughly $315,000. To limit impacts, staff proposed plans with higher deductibles and a review of merit-step increases as an alternative to trimming cost-of-living adjustments.
Council members probed the tradeoffs between employee pay and rate or tax increases. Council Member Nick Mitchell suggested eliminating a cost-of-living adjustment for the year to avoid asking residents to absorb tax and fee increases; Council Member Irvin Jones argued that dedicated public-safety funding could improve emergency response times and therefore was a justifiable, targeted use of new revenue. Council Chair Sharla Bynum and Council Member Joy Glad warned against cutting COLA entirely while employees face higher health costs and urged staff to return with specific savings figures for a 1 percent reduction. Mayor Wood also reported construction on the new Public Works campus was on schedule, with possession of the north building planned for July 22, 2026.
The council voted to move the individual fund ordinances and related tax-rate items to Unfinished Business to allow time for additional numbers and for Salt Lake County to certify property tax rates.
