Lehi City News
City Council approves 2026 fiscal year budget; defunding winter ice rink
Megan Wallgren
Lehi Free Press
The Lehi City Council approved the 2026 Lehi City Budget and Consolidated Fee Schedule at its regular meeting on May 27. The full council was in attendance. Councilwoman Michelle Stallings was the only councilmember to cast a dissenting vote to approve the budget as presented.
The FY 2026 budget outlines a total citywide expenditure of $286.4 million, a decrease of $68 million from the $354.4 million budgeted in the FY 2025 budget. The reduction is primarily due to the decline in capital projects for the coming year.
Taxes will account for around 77 percent of the General Fund Revenues. Sales tax revenue is expected to rise to $26.1 million, an increase of $2.3 million over last year’s revenue. The General Fund is balanced with both revenues and expenditures and has a balance of $64.7 million. No deficit is projected.
There are no proposed increases to property taxes this year. However, utility rates will increase.
Pressurized irrigation rates will go up 5% to comply with state mandates. Culinary water rates will not increase. Sewer rates will increase by 15% due to increased treatment costs from the Timpanogos Special Services District.
The storm drain fee will increase by $0.25 per month, completing a previously approved five-year adjustment, and garbage fees will increase by $1.00 per month to cover rising contractor service costs.
In the first half of FY 2026, two important capital projects are expected to be completed. The new library and city hall complex are progressing on schedule and within budget. Similarly, the city’s fiber network, which provides residents with high-speed broadband internet service, is nearing completion.
New capital investments in the FY 2026 budget include the construction of the city’s Public Works Yard, Phase I. Initially proposed in last year’s budget but delayed due to logistical issues, this project is essential to house personnel, equipment, and fleet assets used for maintaining Lehi’s water, sewer, pressurized irrigation, and storm drain systems.
The budget also provides for continuing investment in community parks. Funds have been allocated to the opening of Lakeview Park and Holbrook Parks I & II in the coming year. To support the maintenance and operations of the growing parks system, three additional park employees are included in the staffing plan.
Key departmental budget increases include $1.17 million more for public safety (police), bringing that department total to $15.35 million; $1.18 million more for parks, for a total of $6.26 million; and $148,000 more for the library.
The budget includes funds for hiring new city employees, including three new police officers to meet the increasing population growth and public safety demands, and three new park employees to maintain and operate new park facilities, such as Lakeview Park and Holbrook Parks I and II. Funding for the Lehi ice rink was put on hold until a future date.
The budget also includes two new administrative hires, one for code enforcement and an internal auditor position. Currently, code enforcement is handled by several city employees without a designated responsibility for code enforcement.
A budget amendment may be made at any time during the fiscal year after the initial budget has been passed.
