Auditing Salt Lake City
The Ledger's review of Salt Lake City's budgets, audits, debt, redevelopment money and officials' disclosures.
The full audit section: stories by subject, key figures and records →
Background
Auditing Salt Lake City: what the records show about the capital's finances
A records-only review of Salt Lake City's budgets, audits, debt and redevelopment agency, drawn from the city's annual financial reports, its independent auditor, a state legislative audit and Salt Lake County.
Read the explainer →Latest update · October 16, 2026
Salt Lake City Council approves first update to utility impact fees since 1999
The council approved new water, sewer and stormwater impact fees on Oct. 6, 2026. The city's proposal roughly tripled the water fee for the smallest meter, to $5,577 from $1,871.
Timeline
- Salt Lake City Council approves first update to utility impact fees since 1999
- Salt Lake City's answer to the state utilities audit sets June, July and summer 2027 targets
- Salt Lake City's agency is due $55.9 million in 2025 tax increment, county says
- Salt Lake City reported $4.33 billion in bonds at mid-2025, most of it for the airport
- State audit: Salt Lake City utilities took on $600 million in debt with no plan to repay
- Auditors flagged weaknesses in Salt Lake City's books for FY2023 through FY2025
- Auditors found Salt Lake City's FY2023 reserve broke the state's 35% cap; it has fallen nearly $60 million since
Latest updates
- Politics
Salt Lake City Council approves first update to utility impact fees since 1999
The council approved new water, sewer and stormwater impact fees on Oct. 6, 2026. The city's proposal roughly tripled the water fee for the smallest meter, to $5,577 from $1,871.
- Politics
Salt Lake City's answer to the state utilities audit sets June, July and summer 2027 targets
In its response to the Legislature's audit, the city said it would finish rate studies and financial plans by June 2027, complete and implement a sewer rate study by July 2027, and have a new billing system in place by summer 2027. It said the billing project was 36% complete.
- Politics
Salt Lake City's agency is due $55.9 million in 2025 tax increment, county says
Salt Lake County's tax-year 2025 report lists the downtown project area at $26.2 million. The agency held $337 million in net position at mid-2025 and owes developers under several reimbursement agreements.
- Politics
Salt Lake City reported $4.33 billion in bonds at mid-2025, most of it for the airport
The city's total debt about doubled from fiscal 2020 to fiscal 2025, to $5.19 billion. General obligation bonds, the kind backed by property taxes, were $125.1 million.
- Politics
State audit: Salt Lake City utilities took on $600 million in debt with no plan to repay
The Legislature's auditor general also found a 2025 change in sewer billing raised average bills for schools, charities and churches by about 110.8%. The city agreed with all recommendations.
- Politics
Auditors flagged weaknesses in Salt Lake City's books for FY2023 through FY2025
Eide Bailly reported a material weakness in each of the last three audits. In fiscal 2024 the city produced no quarterly financial reports and filed an incorrect, late deposit report, auditors found.
- Politics
Auditors found Salt Lake City's FY2023 reserve broke the state's 35% cap; it has fallen nearly $60 million since
The city's general fund balance peaked at $202.6 million in fiscal 2023, when auditors reported it exceeded the state limit. It ended fiscal 2025 at $142.9 million.