Salt Lake County mayor proposes 13.53% property tax increase to fund Metro Jail overhaul

Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson has recommended a 13.53% property tax increase that would take effect in 2027 if approved, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. She presented the proposal at a County Council meeting Tuesday. It would be the county's second tax increase in as many years. ^[1]

For an average home valued at about $658,000, the increase would add roughly $5.85 a month, or about $70 a year. It would raise about $39.5 million annually, which would cover debt service on a proposed 25-year bond if the council approves both the bond and the tax. Wilson denied about $13 million in requests from other county departments and projects. ^[1]

The bond is a $575 million lease revenue bond to renovate the Metro Jail. The project would add 804 beds, a new intake and screening hub and improved medical services, and would close Oxbow Jail, bringing 252 additional beds to the county's overall capacity. ^[1]

Wilson acknowledged the proposal comes at a "difficult time for household budgets" and said the county has "an opportunity to advance the facility improvements and the reform together." Sheriff Rosie Rivera said in a statement that having sufficient jail capacity is essential to public safety. The council will hold a truth-in-taxation hearing and make its final budget decision on Dec. 8. ^[1]