Auditing Tooele
The Ledger's review of Tooele'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 Tooele: what the city's audit and budget show
The Utah Ledger's Auditing Tooele series follows Tooele City's money through its own public records. The fiscal 2025 audit shows a $13.7 million general fund balance and $9.4 million in the Depot redevelopment fund. The adopted fiscal 2027 budget totals $80.5 million across all funds.
Read the explainer →Key figures
- $80.5 millionAdopted fiscal 2027 budget, all fundsAuditing Tooele: what the city's audit and budget show →
- $13.2 millionUnassigned general fund balance, June 30, 2025Auditing Tooele: what the city's audit and budget show →
- $9.4 millionDepot redevelopment fund balance, June 30, 2025Tooele's Depot redevelopment area has stopped collecting tax increment. Its fund held $9.4 million in 2025. →
- $238,092Estimated added yearly revenue from proposed city tax rateTooele's 2026 property tax proposal: $238,092 for a judgment bond payment and fire department costs →
- $14 millionMaximum sewer revenue bonds authorized Sept. 2, 2026Tooele authorizes up to $14 million in sewer revenue bonds for treatment plant upgrades →
- $3 millionAdded fiscal 2026 transfer from general fund to capital projectsTooele moved $3 million more from general fund balance to capital projects in December →
- $340,512.80Broken Arrow 1200 West contract priceTooele redevelopment agency approves $340,512.80 storm-drain contract tied to business park land sale →
Debt and bonds
Tooele authorizes up to $14 million in sewer revenue bonds for treatment plant upgrades
The Tooele City Council adopted a resolution on Sept. 2 authorizing up to $14 million in sewer revenue bonds, according to the city's notice of bonds. At a Sept. 16 hearing, the finance director projected an $11,155,000 issue over 20 years, with payments already built into current sewer rates.
Redevelopment money
Tooele's Depot redevelopment area has stopped collecting tax increment. Its fund held $9.4 million in 2025.
Tooele's fiscal 2027 budget says the Depot redevelopment project area has sunset and no longer collects tax increment. The fund ended fiscal 2025 with $9,385,330, almost all of it assigned to redevelopment agency projects, and the city budgets $2,045,758 for it in fiscal 2027.
Budgets, reserves and taxes
Tooele's 2026 property tax proposal: $238,092 for a judgment bond payment and fire department costs
Tooele scheduled an Aug. 19 hearing on a city property tax rate of 0.002590, above the certified rate of 0.002527. The city's impact schedule estimated $238,092 in added yearly revenue: $138,092 for a judgment levy bond payment and $100,000 for fire department volunteer stipends and an administrative assistant.
Tooele moved $3 million more from general fund balance to capital projects in December
A budget amendment the Tooele City Council approved Dec. 17, 2025 raised the general fund's planned transfer to the capital projects fund by $3,000,000, to $5,292,500, with a matching $3,000,000 appropriation from general fund balance. The general fund had ended fiscal 2025 with $13.2 million unassigned.
Contracts and spending
Tooele redevelopment agency approves $340,512.80 storm-drain contract tied to business park land sale
Tooele's redevelopment agency board voted 4-0 on Sept. 2 to approve a $340,512.80 agreement with Broken Arrow, Inc., for 1200 West storm-drain and roadway-fill work, plus a $17,000 contingency. The resolution says the agency agreed to the work in a June land-sale agreement with Mountain West Vinyl, LLC.