Politics & Government
PARC tax Grants Allocations Pass with 4 to 1 Vote
Nichole Coombs | Lehi Free Press
After months of debate, the Lehi City Council allocated over $860,000 in PARC tax revenue to local nonprofits.
In a 4-to-1 vote, council members Freeman, Harrison, Newall, and Stallings approved the proposed allocations that will pull additional funding from the PARC tax reserve funds. Council member Lockhart voted against the allocations.
“I support funding these organizations,” said Council member Emily Lockhart. “I don’t want my vote to be seen as against arts and culture in our community. My concern is using funds that may not be available in future years. I worry about the long-term viability of relying on reserve money for continued support.”
This year, several of the city’s largest nonprofits, including the Hutchings Museum, Lehi Area Music Association, Lehi Historical Society and Archives, and the Thanksgiving Point Institute, were not given financial support through the city’s general budget. Instead, they will be funded through the PARC tax.
The council voted to spend $861,997 on nonprofits, drawing from a $570,000 PARC tax surplus to cover the shortfall relative to annual collections.
“Some of the entities that receive the most money from the city are not self-sufficient,” said Lockhart. “If they don’t receive this money, they might close. That’s a significant worry for me. The council’s funding approach this year isn’t sustainable.”
Council member Harrison acknowledged Lockhart’s sustainability concerns but explained that he believes immediate support for these organizations is necessary, even though future funding may need to be reconsidered.
“I think these organizations understand that funding may decrease,” Harrison said. “Are you seeking a separate future resolution outside our discussions?”
Lockhart said she would like to get the council to a place where they are unanimous about how they would support these nonprofits moving forward, but didn’t find consensus with the other council members.
Council member Stallings voted for the resolution, but not before adding her concerns.
“I’m voting yes, but I have strong reservations about funding organizations that may not meet state definitions of culture,” Stallings said.
During the work session in April, Stallings pointed out that some of the nonprofits that have received money in the past don’t fit the definition in state code, while others do. She expressed a need for clarity for the nonprofits moving forward. The council agreed but tabled the discussion until a later date.
“The resolution [we voted on] provided funding for our local cultural organizations to keep them running without the need for contributions from the general fund. That’s something I’ve been working towards since the idea was first proposed by city staff during budget discussions in March of 2025,” said Stallings. “PARC grant funding keeps these non-profits operating, helps them move towards greater self-sufficiency, and saves almost half a million dollars in our city budget. To me, that was worth voting for. At the same time, I went on record expressing my concerns that we were awarding PARC grants to organizations that didn’t seem to meet statutory requirements. Our own general guidelines are just that- guidelines, but I believe state requirements should be followed.”
According to council member Lockhart, one entity is getting 35.9 percent of the PARC tax. The next largest allocation is 18.7 percent.
“Because one entity gets such a large share, it’s my fiduciary duty to ensure they’re accountable to taxpayers,” Lockhart said. “When changes to PARC allocations come next year, I want to see them become more self-sufficient.”
