Lehi City News
2022 City budget plans: 16.78% spending increase, new park and fiber network included
Lehi’s fiscal year-end of June 30 is quickly approaching. Mayor Mark Johnson released the 2022 budget to be adopted by the City Council on Tuesday. The pandemic of 2020 brought financial uncertainty to many, but Lehi City managed to get through with a tax revenue increase of over $1 million.
The proposed budget includes a 16.78% increase in expenditures, bringing the City’s 2022 total budget to just over $211 million.
Major capital projects included in the budget:
· $5 million for a new sewer line
· $14.3 million to start the citywide fiber network (drawing funds from bonding)
· $7 million for a new power substation
The City has also proposed spending $3.5 million on the Dry Creek Reservoir project, scheduled to open in spring of 2022, in addition to the $1.5 million received through a Utah County grant.
Departments set to see the largest budget increases include:
· Fire: +$610,636 (total annual budget of $8,392,889)
· Police: +$442,921 (total annual budget of $9,281,632)
· Parks: +293,845 (total annual budget of $3,413,369)
The City also projects to receive $401,000 in fire department impact fees for the upcoming year. The proposed expenditures include $377,009 to design a new station and to allocate $23,991 to reserves.
Park impact fee revenue is projected at $6,110,623. The plan for spending those funds is $2.2 million toward a new park in Holbrook Farms, $1.8 million for Shadow Ridge Park, $750,000 to design Mellor Rhodes Park, $450,000 for Willow Park upgrades and $330,000 for mountain bike trails.
Residents will also see increases in both water and storm drain fees. Culinary and pressurized irrigation fees will each increase by three percent. The storm drain fee will increase from $4.75 to $5.00.
Lehi is also estimated to receive over $6 million in funds from the most recent federal COVID-19 relief bill passed in March. The City has declined to comment on the proposed plans for those funds until they are received.
View the full proposed budget here: https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/880604/FY_2022_MAYOR_S_TENTATIVE_BUDGET.pdf
