There are dozens of line items in the 2024 budget on the chopping block as the County Courthouse works to cut millions of dollars from the proposal to avoid a tax increase.
Yet it’s still unclear what exactly could go and what may stay as officials consider the priorities ahead of the upcoming budget hearings.
Around $3.8 million was stripped from the more than $80 million budget last week, but the Summit County Council heard several appeals during a special session on Monday morning. County departments requested around $400,000 be added back in to provide funding for various services.
The County Treasurer’s Office hopes to build a new website with clear, easy-to-understand property tax information, the Lands and Natural Resources Department wishes to hire additional staff to help manage public lands, Emergency Management wants to pay its junior fire warden a livable salary and the Summit County Health Department needs to pay a contractor to provide behavioral health services in the jail and each of the 17 schools across the county.
Members of the County Council appeared to support each of the initiatives because of the public benefit.
The website would improve education and transparency amid rising property taxes while crucial mental health programs would stop for students without funding. Officials have also committed millions of dollars toward preserving the 834-acre Ure family farm in the Kamas Valley as well as the 910 Cattle Ranch, which needs management plans. Cutting the junior fire warden position, which Summit County has been trying to establish for almost a decade, would also have a direct impact on the employee who started just six months ago.
Summit County Manager Shayne Scott said officials last week reduced the budget more than needed. Staff proposed $3.8 million in cuts when they only needed to remove around $3.2 million or $3.4 million, Scott said. This would prevent the county from going through Truth in Taxation for the general fund, though the process will still be needed for Assessing and Collecting as well as Service Area #6 under the current proposal.
The County Council could accept the appeals, which would add around $373,000 to the budget if the property tax website is managed in-house, and still maintain a balanced budget.
However, the Early Childhood Alliance also asked for $300,000 to fund early education and child care in Summit County and Park City Seniors requested $250,000 to assist with staffing issues and its capital budget.
The County Council expressed an interest in supporting the organizations, but members said they had concerns about allocating money because of the already high budget. It’s unlikely child care and senior programs could also be fully funded in 2024 without additional cuts or a tax increase.
No decisions were made on Monday. Scott said he would return with a clear, concise budget based on the discussions. The first public hearing about tax increases is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Sheldon Richins Building located at 1885 West Ute Blvd. The second hearing is set for Dec. 13 at the Summit County Courthouse. Both meetings will be live streamed.