Salt Lake Mayor Mendenhall proposes nearly half-billion budget focused on ‘quality of life’
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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall proposed a nearly half-billion general fund budget for Utah’s capital city in the upcoming fiscal year, which she says is focused on supporting Salt Lakers’ quality of life and improved infrastructure in a growing city.
Mendenhall met with the Salt Lake City Council on Tuesday, May 6, to present her proposed budget totaling $475,245,078 – a 5.9% increase from last year’s general fund budget she said does not include any major tax increases.
The money would be used to “further key priorities” of the Mayor’s Office including the Green Loop and Main Street projects, improve fragmented sidewalks, and new affordable residential housing, while also helping to usher in a more “community-oriented” sports, entertainment and culture district downtown.
“All of these projects are interconnected, and at their core, are about creating new public benefits for residents and families to enjoy and be proud of,” said Mendenhall. “We are leveling up as a city, and any one of these initiatives by themselves would breathe new life into our urban core, bolstering our ability to address critical needs in our communities.”
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Funding Main Street and park projects
Among the top priorities for Mayor Mendenhall is making Salt Lake a place to be. That includes investing in youth athletics, public parks and trails, and downtown’s vibrantly growing Main Street.
Mendenhall said her budget allocates funds to allow for discounted athletic field recreation fees for youth leagues. This discount, she said, will allow for hundreds of kids to readily sign up for youth leagues and access fields to practice and play sports.
Her budget also includes expanding the Public Lands Department to provide more oversight on park maintenance throughout the city.
“Salt Lakers are passionate about our access to quality parks and open space,” said Mendenhall. “I want to – again – thank residents for approving the Parks, Trails, and Open Space Bond in 2022. We are investing in our public spaces because we know how important they are for our quality of life.”
She said her investment in public and community spaces doesn’t stop there. Salt Lake has been working in recent years to turn downtown Main Street into a permanent pedestrian promenade. Mendenhall’s proposed budget would allocate about $115,000 to continue analyzing the economic benefits and impacts of the project.
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Adding an advisor for downtown development
The redevelopment of downtown Salt Lake City has been a major focal point for both city officials and residents across the Wasatch Front. The Smith Entertainment Group and the Delta Center are at the center of the redevelopment talks with their vision of an entertainment district that incorporates the arena and the next two blocks east.
Mendenhall called the Delta Center an “economic engine” for Salt Lake City, saying 76% of the city’s top visitation days were tied to events at the arena. To ensure the opportunity for a “more connected, more activated” sports and entertainment district is capitalized on, Mendenhall proposed the creation of a new position in the Mayor’s office to manage downtown projects.
The new coordinator would oversee all downtown projects, including the proposed entertainment district as well as the Green Loop and Main Street Promenade. Mendenhall said the new position would also ensure all the projects meet the public’s interests.
Building more affordable housing
Chiefly among those interests is creating more affordable housing. Mendenhall said affordable housing has been a priority for her administration and the City Council, proposing to allocate another $2.59 million into the budget to the $17.7 million allocated last year.
“We have not slowed an inch in our prioritization for affordable housing,” said Mendenhall. “New graduates need it. Young families need it. Many of our aging residents and thousands of hardworking Salt Lakers need access to affordable housing. The last four years of the City’s record investment was just the beginning.”
Funding public transport and repairing infrastructure
Another highlight in Mendenhall’s proposed budget addresses public infrastructure – things like the UTA on-demand service, road integrity, and sidewalks.
Her proposed budget includes continued funding for free bus passes for city students and educators in the Salt Lake City School District. It also expands the funding of the UTA On-Demand service by $300,000 to help continue serving the community on the west side with transportation needs.
The budget would also allocate funds to help maintain city streets with additional funds and over $1 million toward repairing sidewalks and creating after-crossings citywide.
“The city’s bones — our streets, parks, curbs, and other public infrastructure — are critical for the success of our communities,” said Mendenhall. “Every resident, business, and visitor depends on the city’s maintenance of capital projects.”
The Salt Lake City Council will now take time to consider and review Mayor Mendenhall’s proposed budget and vote to approve or amend the budget later this year.
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