BOUNTIFUL—City council has approved a $75 million budget for fiscal year 2023, which begins July 1, as well as okaying annual transfers within two city funds and making minor adjustments to the current year’s budget. By state law, cities must have their budgets approved in June and hold public hearings on any proposals.

Assistant City Manager Galen Rasmussen prepared the proposed budget which has been posted on the city’s website for several weeks. No one from the public offered any comments during the three public hearings on Tuesday night. The budget totals $75,076,328.

Approved was the transfer of $2,582,000 from the Light & Power Fund to the General Fund, and a $75,000 transfer from the Landfill Fund to the Recycling Fund of the city. These are done every year by city officials.

Part of the approved budget includes the awarding of RAP Grants for recreation, arts and parks programs. For FY 23, grants were given to the Bountiful Davis Art Center for $17,335, the Bountiful Historical Preservation Foundation for $7,500, CenterPoint Legacy Theatre for $10,000, and Joy Foundation for $7,000.

There is no increase in property taxes for Bountiful for FY23. The tax rate of 0.000967 is the same as the current year budget, and much below the average for cities in Davis County of 0.001374. 

Mayor Kendalyn Harris pointed out that municipal budgets are worked on throughout the year, with Rasmussen and city staff already formulating ideas for the FY24 budget that will be prepared and submitted for approval in June of 2023.

“It’s an ongoing process that takes countless hours to study and prepare,” she said. “We owe a great deal of thanks to our staff for working out details for these budgets.”

She also invited the public to become more involved in that process through attendance at department budget discussions which are always open to residents. λ