Auditing Murray
The Ledger's review of Murray's budgets, audits, debt and redevelopment money. Every story in the series, sorted by subject, with the figures the records show and links to the official documents.
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Auditing Murray: What the city's budget, audit and debt records show
Auditing Murray follows the city's money through its own budgets, audits and ordinances. Murray adopted a $68,985,465 General Fund budget for 2026-27. At June 30, 2025, the city reported $98,099,383 in long-term bonded, lease and subscription debt and an unassigned General Fund balance of $16,181,468.
Read the explainer →Key figures
- $69.0 millionMurray's adopted 2026-27 General Fund budgetAuditing Murray: What the city's budget, audit and debt records show →
- $16.2 millionUnassigned General Fund balance at June 30, 2025 (25.9% of revenues)Auditing Murray: What the city's budget, audit and debt records show →
- $5.46 millionPlanned 2026-27 transfers from water, wastewater and power funds to the General FundMurray plans $5.46 million in utility-fund transfers to its General Fund this year →
- $19.1 millionPower revenue bonds sold in May 2025Murray to hear proposed electric rate changes Oct. 20, after $19 million power bond →
- $714,297Estimated added revenue from the 2026-27 General Fund property tax increaseMurray's 2026-27 property tax increase: the rate, the estimate and where the money goes →
- $279,261Gap between Streit Avida's listed rebates and listed maximum in the FY2025 tableMurray's Fireclay rebate tables don't carry forward from one year to the next →
- $22.3 millionPublic Works facility contracts at June 30, 2025Murray's Public Works facility: $22.3 million in contracts, bonds and a $4 million 'shortfall' line →
- $26.2 millionMurray's cumulative UTOPIA debt payments at June 30, 2025Murray has paid $26.2 million toward UTOPIA fiber debt, with payments set through 2040 →
Debt and bonds
Murray has paid $26.2 million toward UTOPIA fiber debt, with payments set through 2040
Murray's payments toward UTOPIA fiber network debt totaled $26,185,340 at June 30, 2025. The city committed $2,008,315 for fiscal 2025, less a $579,790 UTOPIA dividend, and the commitment rises 2% a year through 2040.
Redevelopment money
Murray's Fireclay rebate tables don't carry forward from one year to the next
Murray's audited reports list property tax rebates to three Fireclay developers. For one, Streit Avida, the fiscal 2025 table shows payments $279,261 above its listed maximum, and its prior-years figure doesn't match the year before. The records reviewed don't explain the differences.
Budgets, reserves and taxes
Murray's 2026-27 property tax increase: the rate, the estimate and where the money goes
Murray raised its General Fund property tax rate from 0.001370 to 0.001448 for 2026-27. The city estimated the increase would bring in $714,297, split between police and fire pay and staffing, and cost the owner of a $614,000 home about $26.46 a year.
Murray to hear proposed electric rate changes Oct. 20, after $19 million power bond
The Murray City Council will hold a public hearing Oct. 20 on proposed changes to 11 sections of the city code that set electric rates. The August budget said a rate study was under way and no rate increases were scheduled. The Power Fund sold $19,090,000 in revenue bonds in May 2025.
Murray plans $5.46 million in utility-fund transfers to its General Fund this year
Murray's 2026-27 budget plans to move $5,456,080 from its water, wastewater and power funds into the General Fund, calculated at 8% of revenues. The same budget projects the power and wastewater funds drawing down reserves for capital projects, and a September amendment appropriated more from both.
Contracts and spending
Murray's Public Works facility: $22.3 million in contracts, bonds and a $4 million 'shortfall' line
Murray sold $18,860,000 in lease revenue bonds in 2024 for new Public Works facilities, expected to be finished in fall 2027. At June 30, 2025, the city reported $22,311,784 in Public Works facility contracts, $1,532,661 of it spent. A fiscal 2026 capital list set aside $4,000,000 for an estimated shortfall.