Park City Council backtracks pay raises for elected officials, approves FY27 budget

PARK CITY, Utah — After weeks of discussion and public scrutiny, the Park City Council voted Thursday to significantly scale back proposed pay raises for elected officials before approving the city’s final fiscal year 2027 budget.

In a 3-2 vote during their June 25 meeting, the council adopted a revised compensation package with smaller increases.

The newly approved salaries set the mayor’s annual wage at $66,684, up from $55,209, while city councilmembers’ salaries will increase from $28,520 to $34,373.

The revised compensation replaces a proposal approved May 21 that would have increased the mayor’s salary to $116,666 and councilmembers’ salaries to $58,333. City staff had originally argued the larger increases reflected the growing complexity of municipal governance and would help remove financial barriers to serving in elected office.

Thursday’s vote follows discussion at previous council meetings, where members reconsidered the magnitude of the raises after receiving public feedback.

No members of the public spoke during Thursday’s hearing on the revised compensation ordinance.

City budget looking forward

The council then unanimously approved Park City’s revised fiscal year 2026 budget and final fiscal year 2027 budget, maintaining a property tax rate that officials described as a “no tax increase rate.”

Budget Manager Penny Frates said only a handful of adjustments had been made since the council’s previous review.

Before the final vote, Councilmember Tana Toly praised Frates and the budget staff for their work throughout the budget process.

“I just want to give a huge shout out to you, Penny,” Toly said. “Your reports are so much easier to understand… I know all of you worked really hard.”

The adopted FY27 budget remains slightly larger than the city’s approximately $98.3 million fiscal year 2026 operating budget and continues to prioritize childcare initiatives, nonprofit grants, library and recreation programming, and affordable housing while maintaining strong financial reserves and avoiding a property tax increase.