Salt Lake County Council approves 2027 pay plan 6-3, holds AI, data tools for review

The Salt Lake County Council voted 6-3 on Oct. 27 to accept the mayor's proposed 2027 pay package for county employees, during a budget workshop. Council staff said at an Oct. 20 meeting that a tentative 2027 budget is due Nov. 24, with final adoption after a Dec. 8 public hearing. ^[1][3][5]

Under the package, merit employees would get a 2% indexation increase plus a 1.25% merit increase if they are eligible. Sworn officers would get a 3% indexation increase plus 2.75% career growth on their anniversary dates, and employees at the top of their pay grade would get a lump sum of up to 1%. Mayor Jenny Wilson said the sworn officers' increase is a step system, not an across-the-board raise. ^[3]

Council Member Laurie Stringham made the motion. Before the vote, a presenter for the employee organizations said seven of 26 county pay grades have midpoint hourly wages below the $24.75 living-wage estimate from MIT's calculator for a single adult. Council Member Natalie Pinkney said she was one of the three no votes and wanted more information based on the employee organizations' concerns. Minutes recording each member's vote have not yet been posted. ^[3]

Council Member Jiro Johnson said regular employees' raises would trail inflation under the plan, and that he understood paying more could require a tax increase. Council Chair Aimee Winder Newton said anything above the mayor's budget would mean raising taxes. Council Member Ross Romero said he had asked for a delay and more information. Wilson said the human resources director already has the latitude to review heavy-equipment operator pay outside the usual three-year cycle. ^[3]

The council also approved the Human Resources budget with two exceptions that were set aside 7-2: converting two time-limited learning and development facilitator jobs to permanent merit positions, and a $40,000 one-time fee for an applicant tracking system. ^[2][3]

On Administrative Services, the council approved the budget but pulled three items for more discussion, again on a 7-2 vote: the personnel base budget, a new project manager supervisor position, and $654,000 for information technology data governance, privacy and AI tools. The agenda packet shows Information Technology requested $888,000 for those tools and the mayor proposed $654,000. ^[2][3]

The council approved the Public Works budget 8-1 but set aside the general fund money for animal services after members questioned whether residents of cities that run their own animal services would pay twice for county spay, neuter and vaccine services. ^[3]

Separately, a 2027 property tax increase proposed for new jail construction and tax administration would raise about $39.5 million, a 13.53% increase in ad valorem tax revenue, according to the mayor's notice on the Oct. 20 council agenda. A truth-in-taxation hearing is set for Dec. 8. ^[4][5]

Separately, a 2027 property tax increase proposed for new jail construction and tax administration would raise about $39.5 million, a 13.53% increase in ad valorem tax revenue, according to the mayor's notice on the Oct. 20 council agenda. The county has said a truth-in-taxation hearing is set for Dec. 8. ^[3][4]