Davis County commissioners on Tuesday approved the county’s final 2026 operating and capital budgets, adopting a tax increase of 14.9% that commissioners said was necessary to preserve required services. The motion to adopt the budget (item 16) passed on a voice vote recorded as two ayes and one nay.

The county’s controller, Scott Park, told the commission the general fund remains roughly $6.5 million short of fully funding the budget as presented and recommended a more targeted approach to cuts. “We are spending down our savings by $6,500,000 and that is something that we will need to address over the next few months,” Park said during his presentation.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the shortfall reflects a mix of state-mandated costs, rising expenses and prior service-level decisions. Leaders emphasized that the county made an effort to solicit public input, holding three open houses before the tax hearing and offering alternative budget scenarios before finalizing the plan.

Commission debate centered on balancing service levels with taxpayer burden. Chair Maureen Kamalu noted the limits imposed by state law and pushed back on inaccurate claims about county spending, saying a circulating claim that the Western Sports Park was paid from the general fund was incorrect: “that was… not accurate because that has always been in the tourism department,” Kamalu said, adding that tourism funds are repaying the general fund for property use.

Opponents and supporters offered competing views on fairness and fiscal responsibility. One commissioner described the decision as difficult amid widespread financial pressures on residents; another defended modest adjustments to elected-official pay and parity with other local jurisdictions.

What was approved: The commission adopted the final 2026 operating and capital budgets, which include the previously discussed staffing and compensation adjustments for non-elected county executives and a 2% cost-of-living adjustment structure for county employees. Park said elected officials received smaller average adjustments (about 1.7%) and no merit increases. Commissioners also directed staff to develop a plan to identify targeted reductions rather than broad, across-the-board cuts and discussed temporary hiring pauses as one possible measure.

Next steps: County leadership said staff will return with specific proposals for reducing the $6.5 million shortfall and provide additional fiscal analysis. The commission also noted the county will continue to track mandated state changes that affect the budget and urged residents to review public budget documents posted by the controller’s office.

Vote at a glance: The budget (item 16) carried by voice vote with two ayes and one nay. The controller presented the register and supporting documents at the meeting; commissioners said they would continue work over the coming months to flesh out targeted reductions.