Salt Lake County bond leads early tally; $7.9M proposed for Millcreek park

Salt Lake County’s proposed $128 million recreation bond was ahead 61% to 39% in a preliminary tally reported at 12:55 a.m. Mountain time Nov. 4, based on more than 243,000 votes counted. The county’s proposed project list includes $7.9 million for Big Cottonwood Regional Park in Millcreek.

KSL reported the later snapshot after The Salt Lake Tribune reported unofficial returns of 61.8% for and 38.2% against at 11:01 p.m. Nov. 3. These are time-stamped tallies, not a certified result. County guidelines schedule certification at the Board of Canvassers meeting on Nov. 18, 2026.

The measure was on the Nov. 3 ballot for Salt Lake County voters, who were asked to authorize up to $128 million in general-obligation bonds. The bonds would mature no later than 11 years after issuance. The county’s proposed funding plan divides the maximum authorization this way:

What the proposed park work includes i

Big Cottonwood Regional Park’s proposed $7.9 million allocation combines $3 million for repairs and $4.9 million for completion work. That is about 6.2% of the bond’s maximum authorization. The repair list includes pond and wetland rehabilitation, invasive-plant removal, meadow restoration, tree planting and soft-surface trails. Completion work includes 1.5 to 2 miles of trails, along with further pond, boardwalk, wetland and vegetation work.

Would the early lead mean the park work is funded? No. The tally is preliminary and the project amounts are proposed; the tally does not establish that the bond has been authorized or that the work has begun or been paid for.

County estimates for taxpayers and operations i

For a home valued at the county’s $658,000 average, the county estimates a $16.39 annual bond payment before accounting for existing bond debt being repaid. After accounting for that expiring debt, it estimates a net property-tax increase of $0. The county says that net figure is an estimate, not a tax limit or guarantee.

Separately, the county projects average combined operating and maintenance costs of $4,710,200 a year for the facilities during their first 10 years of operation. County property taxpayers would fund repayment if the bonds are issued.