I’ll be honest, when I first thought about running for the Salt Lake County Council in 2014, I really didn’t know what the county did. I remember sitting in a council meeting and being pretty overwhelmed as I tried to grasp the breadth of the county’s portfolio - criminal justice, behavioral health, prosecution, tourism, tax collection, property surveying/assessing/recording, elections, arts and culture, parks and rec, libraries, health department, aging and adult services, and… who knew that we co-owned a landfill?
As I meet with constituents, one of the most frequently asked questions I get is, “What does the county do?” So here is a primer on county government. Salt Lake County is funded through property, sales taxes, and transient room taxes generated from lodging, recreation, and other tourism services. We have a $2.16 billion budget, but in 2014, the state auditor included Utah Transit Authority’s (UTA) state funds, currently $416 million, in our overall budget. We don’t have any decision-making authority for UTA, but their budget is counted on ours. Our actual general fund is roughly $600 million. Tourism sales tax dollars go into separate funds for our convention centers and many of our recreation and arts facilities and operations. The county serves all of its incorporated and unincorporated areas. Incorporated areas have cities and towns that make municipal decisions. In contrast, unincorporated areas do not have a municipal or city government, so Salt Lake County still provides municipal services. By law, the county has to separate budgets–revenues and expenditures–for unincorporated areas. We can’t use countywide-collected taxes to pay for municipal services in the unincorporated areas. We only have about 10,000 people left in unincorporated areas, most of whom are in the Sandy islands, Hi-Country Estates (west of Herriman), and the canyons. The Salt Lake County Council is the legislative governing body with nine elected officials, including three “At-Large” members elected to represent the entire county for six-year terms and six “District” members representing geographical districts for four-year terms. The county council meets most Tuesdays to discuss issues, make and approve all budgetary changes, enact ordinances and regulations, distribute funds, and authorize intergovernmental agreements. The county mayor has executive responsibilities like proposing the budget and running the county's day-to-day operations. The mayor can veto legislation and provide suggestions regarding public policy. The county also has eight independently elected offices – treasurer, assessor, district attorney, surveyor, auditor, recorder, clerk, and sheriff. Each of these officials is elected to a four-year term. Now that you know more about your county, I would encourage you to try to identify county facilities as you drive around. You’ll see libraries, rec centers, regional parks, health centers, performing arts theaters, and convention centers. We love serving you and appreciate hearing your feedback. You can email me at [email protected].
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With the final approval of the 2021 Salt Lake County budget drawing near, I wanted to share some of the proactive steps we have taken as your County Council to tighten up spending.
In June, because of concerns surrounding revenue impacts from COVID-19, we scoured our budget to find as many cuts as possible – leading to a massive $77 million budget reduction. Because of all the cuts we made in June, and because sales tax revenue did not fall as much as we anticipated, we ultimately had a fairly uneventful budget season. As we strive to be as fiscally prudent as possible, one of our top priorities is maintaining our AAA bond rating. We are one of only 27 counties in the entire nation with this highest-achievable bond rating. Keeping this bond rating results in much lower interest rates on bonds and loans. Here are some key principles I have always prioritized during the budget process, this year included. First and foremost, tax dollars don’t “belong” to the county. The funds are yours. Taxpayers entrust the county, or any government for that matter, with a portion of their hard-earned money because they expect that entity to provide essential services for society to function. There is no amount of tax dollars that is too small to be scrutinized. That is why I push back aggressively anytime I hear someone flippantly say, “It’s only x dollars… so we shouldn’t worry about it.” Any expenditure, whether it is $10 or $10 million, should be reviewed, and if it can’t be fully justified to the taxpayers, it should be cut. Second, I believe that all government functions should be viewed in two different categories: “need to have” and “nice to have.” The “need to have” list obviously includes things that are statutorily required of the county to perform, think constitutionally mandated services such as criminal justice and election administration. I also consider public safety to be in the “need to have” category, since keeping our residents safe is a core function of government. However, just because they are essential does not mean they are above scrutiny, because efficiencies can still be found. The “nice to have” list includes quality of life services the county provides, as well as any other program or initiative that can easily be described as a benefit to county residents, but not necessarily considered essential. Libraries and open space some of the things in this category. The separation of these two categories demonstrates the same principle that every family in our county goes through in their annual budgets. They strive to live within their means and focus on essential family expenditures sometimes at the expense of luxuries. Lastly, I review each aspect of our budget and ask, “Is this the proper role of county government?” I’ve said many times that government can’t and shouldn’t be all things to all people. There are many programs or services that are better suited to other government entities, nonprofits, or the private sector. Particularly in a tight budget year, it’s important to review each program, service, or expenditure and ask that question again and again. I’m confident that these principles are the essence of good budgeting and fiscal discipline, and I will always advocate for this approach any time government is entrusted with taxpayer dollars. You can rest assured that for 2021, Salt Lake County has a balanced budget with no tax increase. Last month, I had the pleasure of attending several swearing-in ceremonies for newly elected city officials in my district. I watched individuals of various ages, demographics, and backgrounds take an oath of office and assume the role of public servants.
I couldn’t help but think this is exactly what our founding fathers envisioned--a government by and for the people, accessible to those willing to serve and citizens who can select leaders representing their interests. In almost every ceremony, these elected officials thanked supporters who knocked on doors, distributed fliers, hung signs, and helped get out the vote. I was humbled thinking about the same support I have received over the years. As Utahns, our engagement doesn’t need to end at the ballot box. There are countless ways that we can continue to help influence decisions to reflect our interests and values. What can you do to stay involved and ensure your voice gets heard? Here are five easy things to remember.
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Aimee Winder NewtonAimee Winder Newton has served since 2014 and represents Taylorsville, Murray, West Jordan, and West Valley City on the Salt Lake County Council. She was a former 2020 Republican candidate for Utah Governor and was the first woman elected as chair of the Council. Aimee works tirelessly to defend the quality of life in Salt Lake County while protecting tax dollars... [read more]
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Aimee Winder Newton | aimee winder newton: County Council district 3 |