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Mendenhall’s State of the City Sets 2026 Agenda: ICE Rebuff, Safety Expansion, Green Loop Funding and Possible Tax Hike

She framed a locally controlled, humane approach as the compass for upcoming design spending, with a property tax increase likely.

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Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall delivers the State of the City address at the closed down Leonardo Museum in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026.

Overview

  • After rumors of a detention site, The Ritchie Group is not pursuing a warehouse deal with ICE, and the mayor said such a facility has no place anywhere in the city.
  • The mayor reiterated that Salt Lake City police do not participate in immigration operations and highlighted programs that help lawful permanent residents pursue citizenship.
  • Project CONNECT, targeting the 50 most-arrested individuals, has reduced arrests for 60% of participants, and the city will expand the effort with justice-system partners.
  • Mendenhall will ask the City Council to approve $2.2 million to produce construction-ready design documents for the downtown Civic Center and Green Loop components, with work aligned to long-term Olympic planning.
  • The mayor said the city most likely cannot avoid a property tax increase this budget cycle, while noting $135 million invested since 2020 has supported creation or preservation of about 7,600 affordable units.