Ogden Mayor Ben Nadolski has rolled out his first big money play for the city, presenting a proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget that clocks in at $328.5 million without raising property taxes. The plan leans hard into public safety, infrastructure, parks, and core city services, pairing a roughly $99.3 million General Fund with a $38.6 million capital-improvement program that would touch 36 projects across town.
Instead of asking homeowners for more, city leaders say they pieced the plan together with a mix of grant awards, enterprise-fund transfers, and higher-than-usual interest earnings to cover one-time needs and short-term costs.
Mayor Sticks To A No-Tax-Hike Pitch
According to the Standard-Examiner, the administration is not proposing any increase in property tax rates and is crediting line-by-line cuts and internal efficiencies for creating enough room to fund its priorities.
Communications Director Mike McBride told the paper the team "had to dive deep and sweep all the corners" to find savings while keeping services intact, suggesting there was not a lot of loose change hiding under City Hall’s couch cushions.
By The Numbers: General Fund And Big Projects
According to the mayor’s proposed budget book from Ogden City, the FY2027 total comes in at $328,479,900, with the General Fund at $99,287,325. Those figures mark increases of about 5.02% and 4.02%, respectively, over last year’s adopted budget.
The same document details a $38.6 million Capital Improvement Plan for FY27, backed by roughly $16 million in city funds, about $11 million in grant money, and $11.6 million from enterprise funds. All told, it lists 36 projects, including $6.1 million for Union Station and $3.3 million for a reconstruction of 25th Street.
The budget book also notes that elevated interest earnings and targeted one-time revenues are slated to cover transitional costs such as police overtime and temporary parks staffing, rather than building those expenses into the permanent tax base.
Public Safety Grabs The Biggest Slice
Budget slides posted by Ogden City Government on Facebook show public safety taking roughly 40% of General Fund spending.
The proposal would lock in five previously approved sworn police positions as permanent and continue funding for fire staffing and overtime. City leaders say the goal is to hold on to recent staffing gains and keep emergency response steady without layering on a new, long-term tax burden.
What Happens Next At City Hall
The mayor’s proposal now heads into City Council review, with public hearings lined up through May and June before a final vote expected in June, according to the Standard-Examiner.
Residents can dig into the full proposed budget, the line-item detail books, and the Capital Improvement Plan on the budgets page from Ogden City, along with the mayor’s presentation materials.
