The draft shows $75 million for the county’s 2024 budget, up from about $55 million in 2023.
County manager Dustin Grabau says that jump is, in part, to cover a courthouse expansion. Expenses are still being finalized, but budget drafts show the county will likely dedicate $10 million to the project, and the state will contribute millions more.
“The good news there is that the state is paying for a hefty chunk of that, because we lease out court spaces to the district court system,” he said. “So the state court system will be paying for it.”
The county is allocating funds for its attorneys’ facilities and to upgrade the existing justice court. Right now, that court meets in a conference room.
Other reasons for the larger budget include spending more on parks and economic development and raising employee salaries, among other expenses.
Grabau says although next year’s budget is quite a bit larger than this year’s, the county plans to cover most of the difference with existing revenues rather than tax increases.
“It seems like quite a big increase, but it’s kind of a temporary one,” he said. “We’re trending up consistently, but not quite that dramatically.”
He also says the proposed EMS sales tax, on the ballot in Wasatch County as Proposition 9, could make a difference in generating funds for the county without property tax increases.
If approved, 100% of the new sales tax revenue would go to the county. It won’t apply to gas, groceries or prescriptions. One goal of the tax is for visitors to help pay for the emergency services they rely on, like search and rescue.
The county says it got creative to avoid major property tax increases, but the library needs more funds. Almost its entire budget comes from property taxes, and the county isn’t allowed to move money from other funds to make up the difference. Truth in taxation hearings for that increase will be held Dec. 6.
