The Lehi City Council has begun work on a proposed budget presented by Mayor Paul Binns. The tentative budget includes a property tax increase intended to generate an additional $1,7CO2,474. These funds are slated to provide budget increases for the justice courts as well as the police, fire, and parks departments.
City leaders met with the council during a study session on Tuesday, April 28, to discuss specific budgetary needs.
The police department's budget would increase by $730,215 under the mayor's proposal. This includes funding for one records clerk and a shift differential pay program, as well as three patrol officers. The department noted that its caseload has risen 46% since 2021.
While the department initially requested more personnel, it reduced its request for additional officers from three to one, noting that AI implementation is helping reduce report turnaround time and allowing officers to return to patrol faster. Additionally, the need for a school resource officer was resolved after a private entity failed to renew a contract. The department requested that the cost of the additional officers remain in the budget to facilitate an increase in officer pay.
The fire department's overall budget would see a 6% increase, totaling $621,428. However, fire department officials asked the council to consider a larger increase, stating that more than a 20% increase would be required to make wages competitive with nearby cities.
The parks department would receive $285,294 in additional funding to support three new positions for maintenance. According to the department, its full-time employees currently manage approximately 36 acres per person, compared to an average of 22 acres per person in other cities.
If the proposed tax increase is approved, the impact on a Lehi homeowner with a $600,000 market value would be $35.52 per year. For a commercial property valued at $600,000, the impact would be nearly double at $64.58 per year.
A public hearing regarding the budget is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12.
