May 7, 2024

Para leer este comunicado de prensa en español, oprima aqui

Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s Fiscal Year 2025 recommended budget, presented to the Salt Lake City Council on Tuesday, focused on investments supporting residents’ quality of life and critical infrastructure in the growing capital city, which is forging a pathway to opportunities that will benefit generations of families.

The FY 2025 Budget will responsibly further key priorities the Mayor announced during her 2024 State of the City address, including managing the Green Loop and Main Street pedestrian promenade projects, as well as and a more community-oriented Sports, Entertainment, Culture and Convention district downtown. 

“All of these projects are interconnected, and at their core, are about creating new public benefits for residents and families to enjoy and be proud of,” said Mayor Mendenhall. “We are leveling up as a City, and any one of these initiatives by themselves would breathe new life into our urban core, bolstering our ability to address critical needs in our communities.” 

The $475,245,078 million general fund budget addresses foundational livability and resiliency needs without a major tax increase, including affordable housing, public safety, open space, and more resources for vulnerable communities. The Mayor’s proposed investments champion families, including a $57,000 annual commitment to discount rental fees for youth sports programs.

Budget highlights 

• Dedicate $2.59 million for affordable housing, in addition to $17.7 million approved in March of 2024 by the RDA Board to help construct 1,500 affordable units in Salt Lake City for residents
• Create a new advisor to coordinate cohesive large visions shaping up Downtown, from the Green Loop to the Main Street Promenade and the sports and entertainment district, and champion residents’ interests
• Double the size of SLC’s Rapid Intervention Team (RIT), which connects unsheltered individuals to essential resources and assists small-scale cleaning requests received from residents
• Conduct outreach to defendants in the City Justice Court experiencing homelessness to reduce barriers to access housing and stability as part of a new court program
• Continue funding for free bus passes to students, guardians, and educators in Salt Lake City School District
• With nearly $300,000, double funding of the 2023 Mill & Overlay pilot program to better maintain and extend the life of city streets for residents
• Expand funding for UTA On-Demand serving the westside ($300,000), totaling more than $3 million for the program
• Renegotiated salary structures for the Salt Lake City Police Department so the city can continue hiring the best people and fill all open positions
• Deploy an additional Medical Response Paramedic team to provide basic emergency medical care when arriving on a scene and work in conjunction with the Medical Response Team
• Invest in targeted repair of the City’s most fragmented sidewalks ($750,000)
• Fund two new public art installations on the City’s westside
• Dedicate additional funds for ACE grants ($100,000) to support more community-driven arts, culture, and events
• Implement program-based budgeting for a data-driven budget-making process

You can read the English transcript of the Mayor’s speech here and the Spanish transcript of the Mayor’s speech here.