facebook-pixel

‘We must ... keep building’: See what Gox. Cox wants for Utahns in his new budget proposal

The governor announced his fiscal year 2027 budget proposal Wednesday. Lawmakers will approve a budget early next year.

(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gov. Spencer Cox speaks during a news conference on the 2027 fiscal budget at Kearns Library in Kearns on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.

A note to readers • Read the governor’s full budget document below. Find our coverage here: Utah budget ‘tighter’ after Trump cuts, but still room for state employee raise, Gov. Cox says

Gov. Spencer Cox rolled out his latest budget proposal Wednesday — an 184-page document outlining how he would like to spend Utah’s “flat” budget for fiscal year 2027.

“As we look to the years ahead, I have never been more hopeful,” the governor wrote in the proposal. “Utah has always risen to meet big challenges, and together, we will build the next remarkable chapter of our state’s story. With the same pioneer spirit that brought us this far – we will, we must – keep building."

The $30.7 billion budget is slightly shy of the $30.8 billion the Legislature approved for the current fiscal year, a cut Cox attributes to President Donald Trump’s federal funding cuts earlier this year. Ultimately, state lawmakers will craft and approve a fiscal year 2027 budget early next year during the legislative session.

Help The Tribune report the stories others can’t—or won’t.

For over 150 years, The Salt Lake Tribune has been Utah’s independent news source. Our reporters work tirelessly to uncover the stories that matter most to Utahns, from unraveling the complexities of court rulings to allowing tax payers to see where and how their hard earned dollars are being spent. This critical work wouldn’t be possible without people like you—individuals who understand the importance of local, independent journalism.  As a nonprofit newsroom, every subscription and every donation fuels our mission, supporting the in-depth reporting that shines a light on the is sues shaping Utah today.

You can help power this work.