Salt Lake City tax and utility bills could jump in July
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Fair warning, Salt Lakers. Your property taxes and utilities could be going up this July.
Why it matters: As the cost of virtually everything rises, residents could feel further strain on their wallets.
The big picture: The proposed increases, part of Mayor Erin Mendenhall's budget plan, come as inflation drives up the cost of providing basic services.
- Aging infrastructure needs to be repaired, like the city's three drinking water and sewage treatment plants, which are more than 70 years old.
By the numbers: Mendenhall's proposed 12.5% property tax hike translates to an additional $10 per month for a home valued at $624,000.
- The increase would generate $13.5 million for the city.
And that's not the only hike Mendenhall is pitching. Monthly utility rates would also go up about $32:
- Sewer (average indoor use): +$11
- Street lighting: +$2.60
- Stormwater: +$1.75
- Water (low use): +$14.37
- Garbage collection (64-gallon can): +$2.77
Zoom in: The $13.5 million would go toward hiring more firefighters, maintaining public lands, capital improvement projects and more.
What they're saying: "We exhausted every other option before proposing increases," Mendenhall told Salt Lake City Council members last week, adding that the alternative was laying off city employees, cutting services or delaying infrastructure repairs.
Catch up quick: The Salt Lake County Council already approved a 14.65% property tax increase earlier this year to cover rising costs, which equates to $6 a month for the average homeowner.
What's next: City Council members are scheduled to hold public hearings May 19 and June 2 at City Hall before finalizing the budget on June 30.