Fiscal Year 2026-27 Department Budget Briefings

At a glance

What: The Council's department-by-department work session briefings on the Mayor's recommended Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget, May 12 to June 2, 2026: Finance, Justice Court, Police, Community and Neighborhoods, Arts Council, Public Lands, Golf, Public Services, Fire, Fleet, Non-Departmental, the Attorney's Office, Insurance and Risk Management, Sustainability and the Refuse Fund, and Governmental Immunity.
Where it stands: Briefings only; no votes. Public hearings on the budget were set for May 19 and June 2. Open questions were carried onto the unresolved items list (Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget Unresolved Items) and settled by straw polls and adoption on June 16 (Fiscal Year 2026-27 City Budget).
Contentious: Park Ranger staffing cuts, a proposed 9 percent residential garbage fee increase, deferred Fleet replacements and the use of proposed property tax revenue for Fire staffing.

Finance Department (May 12)

Mary Beth Thompson, Lisa Hunt and Ben Luedtke presented accomplishments (long-term financial planning tools and the new Workday human resources, payroll and financial operations software), proposed reductions and staffing changes from process and technology improvements, and transparency measures including investment advisor fee reporting and a new Property Tax Pass-Through Fund. This followed the Administration's overview of the Mayor's recommended budget, which noted the Utah Inland Port Authority agreement reimbursing 13 proposed Police positions (Fiscal Year 2026-27 City Budget).

Justice Court (May 12)

Michael Sanders introduced increased funding requests. Presiding Judge Jojo Liu and Valeta Hitchcock presented staffing and operating requests driven by rising criminal filings, hearings and workload. Members discussed coordination with the Prosecutor's Office, the Legal Defenders Association and other justice partners (whose budgets are presented separately) and property tax-supported funding. Request: Puy asked for a follow-up briefing on Justice Court facility needs and efficiency. The Sustainability Department and Refuse Fund briefing planned for that day was moved to a later meeting (held June 2).

Police Department (May 14)

Sanders introduced a proposed 5 percent increase and added staffing requests. Chief Brian Redd cited reduced crime and response times, efficiencies, and investments in community engagement, traffic safety, drones and the Real Time Crime Center. Discussion covered School Resource Officer reimbursement, University of Utah event staffing reimbursements, Utah Inland Port tax increment reimbursements for added staff near the Westside/Pioneer Precinct, alternate response, civilian response teams and social workers, resident speeding concerns, artificial intelligence, data retention and civil liberties (with clarification that the Department has no contracts with Flock Safety), Jordan River Trail bike squads and possible foot patrol expansion, inflation in equipment and technology, and recruiting, retention and labor agreement costs. Request: Wharton asked for a meeting on coordination with the University of Utah and Greek Row operations; Redd said staff would arrange it.

Community and Neighborhoods (May 14)

Allison Rowland introduced; Tammy Hunsaker, Mike Akerlow and Brent Beck presented accomplishments, efficiencies, transportation and housing initiatives, and proposed reductions. Discussion: Youth and Family programming would prioritize K-6 and teen afterschool and summer programs and consolidate adult programming; the Hive Pass reduced-fee transit pass would be eliminated while low-income and student pass programs continue; Fix the Bricks would continue at a reduced, income-qualified, grant-funded level; permitting and development review technology; and County-led childcare cuts. Requests: Dugan asked for Youth and Family participation, waitlist and demographic metrics and for alternative transit pass resources (Hunsaker suggested a transit resources webpage); Carlsen asked for on-demand transit ridership and trip data; Puy asked for follow-up on electric vehicle charging costs and possible cuts, an EV site on North Temple, and maintenance and disposition of City-owned properties.

Arts Council Division (May 14)

Sylvia Richards reviewed the proposed 5.8 percent reduction. Felica Baca and Laurel Cannon Alder described the Arts Council as a hybrid governmental nonprofit, accomplishments, funding sources, the mural program (Salt Lake City exceeds peer cities in mural installations), capital art projects and private-public partnerships. Members discussed program impacts, alternative funding and the Twilight Concert Series (operations, private vendors, City contributions, downtown economic effects). The same session received an informational update on THE BLOCKS Annual Update.

Public Lands (May 21)

Allison Rowland said that excluding the Golf Fund the department budget would rise modestly while absorbing utility, contract and personnel cost increases. Kim Shelley, with Tyler Murdock (deputy director), presented the mission, accomplishments, requested increases and proposed reductions: administrative costs, operations, charges and services, park security and Park Ranger staffing. Discussion covered whether the reductions would delay projects funded by the 2022 general obligation bond, sycamore tree health after a late frost, irrigation upgrades, the role of fewer Park Rangers, the native plant program, the Regional Athletic Complex fee structure and improved park maintenance. Requests: Puy asked about the Folsom Trail, Park Ranger programming and resident contacts, tree losses on North Temple, newer plantings along 300 West and the Thousand Trees Program; Wharton asked about a proposed Foothills subcommittee of the Parks, Natural Lands, Urban Forestry and Trails Advisory Board (PNUT) that includes non-members, with follow-up expected in June; Petro asked for objective performance measures for the Park Ranger program.

Golf Fund (May 21)

Rowland said revenues were projected to keep rising, supporting a larger capital program and less General Fund support. Matt Kammeyer, Golf Division director, described six years of financial improvement, growth in play and revenue, a request for one full-time position, golf path repairs, continued design of the Rose Park irrigation project and golf simulators at Forest Dale. The long-term goal is self-sufficiency, with user fees funding deferred capital needs. Council Members praised the turnaround and discussed water conservation at courses.

Public Services (May 21)

Kate Werrett flagged staffing changes, street maintenance funding and a proposed public electric vehicle charging fee. Jorge Chamorro, with Julie Crookston and JP Goates, described an overall proposed reduction, taking over the Ballpark and the Old Library (The Leonardo) building, consolidating cleaning in the Urban Services Division, faster response on occupied recreational vehicles and bioclean requests, and cuts to contracted cleanup and vacant crossing guard positions. Discussion covered metered EV charging fees, the Mill and Overlay Program and the Overall Condition Index, a proposed Ballpark administrator position, and whether mill and overlay investment is enough to avoid costlier reconstruction.

Fire Department (May 21)

Michael Sanders introduced a proposed increase and a request for 10 new full-time positions funded partly by proposed property tax revenue. Chief Karl Lieb and Alicea Caccavo (financial analyst) cited the Station 1 bay extension, a memorandum of understanding with the Salt Lake City School District and the elimination of toxic aircraft firefighting foam. Discussion covered a request for nine firefighters to staff a fourth truck at Station 3 in Sugar House, a possible additional Community Health Access Team (CHAT), density and high-rise growth in Sugar House, overtime, fire inspection and permitting, and high call volumes in the Avenues and near the University of Utah. Puy asked staff to explore reducing University of Utah related calls and recouping response costs. The Fleet Fund briefing planned for that day was moved to a later agenda.

Non-Departmental (May 28)

Austin Kimmel and Mary Beth Thompson introduced; Lisa Hunt (deputy chief financial officer) reviewed totals, Capital Improvement Program transfers, contracts, civic support and police-related transfers. Jennifer Bruno clarified that much of the apparent Police Department increase reflects costs moved from Non-Departmental. Other points: removal of one-time conference funding, fire impact fees servicing debt on two fire stations financed through the Local Building Authority, concern about delaying capital needs, and some capital funding being considered later through the proposed property tax and Truth in Taxation.

Fleet Fund (May 28)

Sylvia Richards introduced; Chamorro and Julie Crookston presented staffing, services, the maintenance and replacement funds, fuel budget and replacement backlog. The budget cuts General Fund support for maintenance, so some non-cost-effective repairs on older replacement-eligible vehicles would not be done. Council Members raised replacement numbers versus accident losses, fuel price forecasting uncertainty, and the risk that underfunding replacements raises deferred maintenance.

Attorney's Office, Insurance and Risk Management, Governmental Immunity (June 2)

Attorney's Office: Michael Sanders introduced; City Attorney Mark Kittrell, Allison Parks and Cindy Lou Trishman presented accomplishments and savings. Members, with Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill, discussed whether two requested full-time positions meet staffing needs, recruitment and retention, and reduced victim advocate grant funding.

Insurance and Risk Management: Mary Beth Thompson described the Finance role; Lori Gaitin and David Buchanan of Human Resources covered PEHP health plan changes, Utah Retirement Systems Tier II contribution rate increases and dental renewals; about 75 percent of employees chose the Star 1 plan and 25 percent Star 2; Members asked about annual competitive bidding, the employee health clinic and Health Savings Account contributions. Trishman and Kittrell presented the Risk fund budget.

Governmental Immunity (the City's self-insurance fund for liability claims) was a written briefing with no discussion.

Sustainability and Refuse Fund (June 2)

Kate Werrett introduced; Debbie Lyons (Sustainability director) and Sophia Nicholas presented the Refuse Fund, Waste and Recycling, and Environment and Energy budgets, including a proposed 9 percent increase to residential garbage service fees. Discussion covered garbage can sizes and extra container fees, recycling requirements for multi-family and business properties, glass recycling and the City's climate role. Puy asked for information on Environment and Energy programs and their effect on the tax increase, including whether any could be paused during the shortfall.

Sources

City Council Work Session minutes, May 12, 2026 (approved July 14, 2026): https://slc.primegov.com/Public/CompiledDocument/44270
City Council Work Session minutes, May 14, 2026 (approved August 18, 2026): https://slc.primegov.com/Public/CompiledDocument/44799
City Council Work Session minutes, May 21, 2026 (approved August 18, 2026): https://slc.primegov.com/Public/CompiledDocument/44802
City Council Work Session minutes, May 28, 2026 (approved July 21, 2026): https://slc.primegov.com/Public/CompiledDocument/44484
City Council Work Session minutes, June 2, 2026 (approved August 18, 2026): https://slc.primegov.com/Public/CompiledDocument/44836