Auditing Ogden
The Ledger's review of Ogden's budgets, audits, debt, redevelopment money and officials' disclosures. Every story in the series, sorted by subject, with the figures the records show and links to the official documents.
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Auditing Ogden: what the city's own records show about its money
A guide to Ogden's budget, reserves, debt, redevelopment agency and audit findings from fiscal 2020 through the fiscal 2027 budget, drawn from city, county and state records.
Read the explainer →Key figures
- $99.6 millionOgden's adopted fiscal 2027 general fundAuditing Ogden: what the city's own records show about its money →
- 39.42%General fund balance as a share of revenue at June 30, 2024; the cap is 35%Auditors found Ogden's general fund over the state reserve cap in fiscal 2020 and 2024 →
- $294.4 millionTotal city debt at June 30, 2025, up from $109.5 million in fiscal 2020Ogden's debt rose from $109.5 million in fiscal 2020 to $294.4 million in fiscal 2025 →
- $3.47 millionPledged sales tax used for WonderBlock redevelopment bond payments in fiscal 2025How Ogden paid the WonderBlock bonds in fiscal 2025 →
- $3.67 millionOverdue city-fund loans owed by the redevelopment agencyOgden's redevelopment agency owes $3.67 million on overdue loans from city funds →
- $15 millionCity subsidies for airport operating losses, 2006–2022Legislative audit found Ogden's airport lost money every year from 2006 to 2022 →
- $7.54 millionProposed maximum FY2027 utility transfers to Ogden's general fundOgden's utility bills fund two separate charges to the general fund →
- $3.1 millionSeparate 5% administrative charge described at the June 16 hearingOgden's utility bills fund two separate charges to the general fund →
- $22 millionCap on all tax increment payments to Williams InternationalWilliams International's $22 million incentive is a cap, with key conditions dated Dec. 31, 2026 →
- $290,000Maximum tax increment reimbursement for the Vibe townhomesOgden RDA changes a 2015 Thorstensen Building deal and approves a $290,000 townhome incentive →
- $700,000Transfer into Ogden's Future Park Property Reserve, approved 4-2Ogden's Taylor Canyon park deal: changing acreage figures, a $700,000 reserve vote and a recusal →
- $948,546May 2026 contract price for about 2.6 acres of Taylor CanyonOgden's Taylor Canyon park deal: changing acreage figures, a $700,000 reserve vote and a recusal →
- $8.34 millionTax increment paid to Ogden's RDA for tax year 2025Weber County paid Ogden's redevelopment agency $8.34 million in tax increment for 2025 →
- $2.13 millionAirport CRA increment, tax year 2025Weber County paid Ogden's redevelopment agency $8.34 million in tax increment for 2025 →
Debt and bonds
How Ogden paid the WonderBlock bonds in fiscal 2025
The redevelopment bond's $3.47 million payment was covered by pledged sales tax revenue, and the parking bonds' first payment came from capitalized interest. The new parcels produced $34,632 in tax increment, all passed through.
Ogden's debt rose from $109.5 million in fiscal 2020 to $294.4 million in fiscal 2025
Most of the increase came in fiscal 2024, when the city and its building authority issued $127 million in bonds for the WonderBlock development. Net debt reached 45% of the state limit.
Redevelopment money
Weber County paid Ogden's redevelopment agency $8.34 million in tax increment for 2025
Weber County's tax year 2025 report shows $8,343,019.25 in property tax increment going to nine Ogden redevelopment project areas, led by the Airport CRA. The Ogden School District's taxes made up more than half of it.
Ogden RDA changes a 2015 Thorstensen Building deal and approves a $290,000 townhome incentive
On July 14, Ogden's redevelopment agency voted 4-3 to let the Thorstensen Building's developer build 25 income-restricted artist lofts instead of about 30 market-rate units, and 6-1 to approve up to $290,000 in tax increment for 10 for-sale townhomes on Adams Avenue.
Williams International's $22 million incentive is a cap, with key conditions dated Dec. 31, 2026
The agreement Ogden's redevelopment agency approved in March 2025 caps payments to Williams International at $22 million in tax increment, paid in installments through 2048. Payments depend on construction milestones, and the agreement says it ends if the expansion isn't substantially complete by the end of 2026.
Ogden's redevelopment agency owes $3.67 million on overdue loans from city funds
Three interfund loans to the agency are past their original due dates of 2016, 2018 and 2021. The city's fiscal 2025 report says it does not expect full repayment and plans to ask the council to extend or forgive them.
Budgets, reserves and taxes
Ogden's Taylor Canyon park deal: changing acreage figures, a $700,000 reserve vote and a recusal
Ogden's description of the Taylor Canyon land it plans to buy from the school district went from about 2.6 acres for $948,546 in May to about $700,000 in August, with city records giving the acreage as both 1.19 and 1.91. The council voted 4-2 to refill its park reserve with $700,000.
Ogden's utility bills fund two separate charges to the general fund
Ogden proposed moving up to $7,537,550 from its water, sewer, storm sewer and refuse funds to the general fund in fiscal 2027 as a 12% charge in lieu of taxes. A separate 5% administrative charge comes on top. City records describe the two charges in different ways.
Contracts and spending
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Audits and compliance
Ogden's audit findings from fiscal 2020 to 2025: HUD repayment, overspent funds and late reports
HBME issued clean opinions on Ogden's financial statements each year, but its compliance reports listed state budget violations in five of six years and federal findings in fiscal 2020 and 2025.
Legislative audit found Ogden's airport lost money every year from 2006 to 2022
The 2024 audit found the city covered $15 million in airport losses from its general fund and Business Depot Ogden fund. The city's fiscal 2025 audit flagged a federal airport grant report filed 15 months late.
Auditors found Ogden's general fund over the state reserve cap in fiscal 2020 and 2024
The city's outside auditors flagged general fund balances of 27.8% of revenue in fiscal 2020 and 39.42% in fiscal 2024, above the legal limits; the city then drew its reserves down by $16 million in fiscal 2025.