There’s plenty of intrigue, handwringing and finger-pointing related to a controversial new sales tax imposed earlier this year on a 7-2 split vote by the Salt Lake County Council. And guess what: this story has virtually nothing to do with any of that.

Instead, the focus here is on the financial windfall Taylorsville will enjoy from the new tax. Or, more specifically, how the funding infusion should help fill that pothole you dodge every day, a bit quicker. 

“Road maintenance funding is always a big issue for us every budget cycle,” Taylorsville City Administrator John Taylor said. “So, we have supported this Salt Lake County tax proposal. Transportation funding is always needed in Taylorsville. This new money is required to be spent on road projects. It will allow us to move up our timeline on curb and gutter, road resurfacing and other transportation projects.” 

Before we get to the new sales tax specifics, we need to step back in time to provide a little context.

• March 2018 – The Utah Legislature authorizes counties to enact sales taxes, but only for “public transit capital expenses and service delivery.”

• March 2024 – State lawmakers amend their measure, providing flexibility to Salt Lake County on how new sales tax funding can be spent.

• November 2024 – Voters narrowly to reject a $507 million bond intended to more thoroughly address Salt Lake County’s jail crisis.

• February 2025 – Reportedly under pressure from state lawmakers to improve their jail situation, seven of nine Salt Lake County Council members vote to establish their new sales tax.

As Salt Lake County consumers, we’ll be hard-pressed to notice the tax. Beginning July 1, the County will collect 0.2% on purchases – or 1 cent for every $5 spent.

However, even that modest amount is projected to generate $76 million in new revenues, annually.

Two Republican council members voted against the new tax. Taylorsville’s representative, Aimee Winder Newton, was one of three Salt Lake County Council Republicans who reluctantly joined Democrats to approve it.

“This tax gives the county the ability to make 248 jail beds available to improve public safety, which is our number one priority,” Winder Newton explained. “We also know transportation dollars are scarce for our cities. With traffic congestion throughout the valley, and needed road repair, these dollars will help residents get the most bang for their buck. It’s much cheaper to do slurry seals and fix potholes than to neglect roads and have to completely rebuild them later.”

 There are plenty of Utah media outlets further explaining exactly how this funding will be divvyed up and spent. In broad strokes, for our purposes: a quarter of it will be spent by Salt Lake County, adding jail beds and justice programs, while another quarter of the revenue will be shared among cities in the county for transportation needs.

That’s where Taylorsville enters the picture – over on the sideline, far away from any controversy.

“They estimate Taylorsville will receive $648,000 annually through this tax,” Taylor said. “Our current annual road improvement budget is about $2.5 to $3 million. So, this new funding will grow that budget by about 20 to 25%. And, again, that’s all we can spend the money on – road projects.”

As you’d expect, Salt Lake City receives the largest portion of the $19 million annually, at an estimated $4.6 million. Utah’s second largest city, West Valley City, will receive just under $2 million each year. West Jordan, Sandy, South Jordan and Murray are all expected to receive more than $1 million annually.

“Just like our residents, we hate tax increases,” Taylor said. “But this one will be well spent. Our road maintenance has fallen behind in recent years because of inflation. Electric vehicle sales also cut into our road repair budget, because it’s funded entirely through the state gas tax. When gas sales go down, our road repair budget shrinks.”

Taylorsville officials report their top road resurfacing priorities entering the 2025 orange cone season include: 2700 West, from 4100 South to 4700 South; 4100 South, from Redwood Road to 2200 West; and 6200 South, from Bangerter Highway to 2700 West.

“We try to resurface all of our Taylorsville roads every seven to 10 years,” Taylor said. “This new tax will allow us to accelerate those timelines while also making other repairs more quickly.”

Many Salt Lake County residents may be upset their vote against a half-billion-dollar bond last fall was followed three months later by a tax increase they weren’t allowed to vote against. But the upside is expected to be 248 additional jail beds – and, hopefully, fewer potholes to dodge during your next drive through Taylorsville. λ