Salt Lake County is proposing another tax hike to “reboot” its criminal justice system in 2027.

Mayor Jenny Wilson announced the recommended 13.53% property tax hike during Tuesday’s County Council meeting. The average Salt Lake County property owner — with a home valued at about $658,000 — would see an additional $5.85 tacked on to their monthly tax bills starting in 2027 should the increase pass.

That all shakes out to $70 a year.

Wilson acknowledged that the proposal — which would be the second county tax hike in as many years — comes at a “difficult time for household budgets.” Rising costs for residents are why she denied around $13 million in requests from other county departments and projects.

“Our employees deserve a safe workplace; people in custody deserve humane treatment and appropriate care; taxpayers deserve efficient government,” Wilson said Tuesday. “We have an opportunity to advance the facility improvements and the reform together.”

Wilson also proposed a $575 million lease revenue bond to pay for a renovation of the metro jail that would add 804 new beds, a new intake and screening hub, and improved medical services to the facility. The project would also close Oxbow Jail, but renovations to the metro jail would bring 252 additional beds to the county’s current overall capacity.

The additional $39.5 million a year generated by the tax increase will pay for debt service on the 25-year bond, should the council approve both the bond and the tax hike.

“Having sufficient jail capacity is essential to public safety and an effective criminal justice system,” Sheriff Rosie Rivera said in a statement. “Salt Lake County has faced jail capacity challenges for more than two decades, and while we have taken steps to address them, we need a long-term solution.”

Salt Lake County will hold a truth-in-taxation hearing where residents can provide input on the proposed tax hike on Dec. 8. That’s when the council will also make its final decision on the budget.

Should her budget pass, Wilson said the additional funds would allow the county to “reboot” its criminal justice system as soon as next year.

“This budget would allow us to start diverting eligible, nonviolent offenders with mental health challenges directly into treatment, under the supervision of a dedicated case management team that reports back to our criminal justice services team and the district attorney’s office,” Wilson said. “Salt Lake County is leading in the building of a more just, modern, coordinated and cost-effective system.”