Per a new state law, the final budgeting session will also include a hearing on pay increases for the county council and county department directors.
“This is the first year we've had to do this special public hearing for executive pay, and it talks about just calling out what the increase is,” Summit County Manager Shayne Scott said.
Those increases include 3.3% for the cost of living, and 3% merit increases for some county employees.
The budget as a whole doesn’t require raising the county government’s property tax rate. That’s because about three quarters of Summit County voters approved a sales tax in November.
“We’ll address some of the expenses that qualify for that tax and just answer any of the final questions,” Scott said. “We've had, I think, 11 council discussions, two special meetings, and we're at the very end of the process. And it's gone relatively smoothly, so, excited to see what happens.”
Unlike last year, councilmembers haven’t asked for significant cuts.
As drafted, the nearly $91 million 2025 budget includes 16 new employees, particularly for code and law enforcement. Public safety, which includes emergency medical services, makes up a third of the budget.
It also includes a new mental health care contract with the University of Utah, which the council approved last week.
There are 35 different entities that levy taxes in Summit County, including fire, recreation, school and water districts.
The county’s job is to divy up those taxes. On average, in 2023, the county government accounted for 13% of property owners’ tax bills.
Summit County councilmembers are expected to vote on the budget after 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Summit County courthouse in Coalville. Click here to attend online.
