West Valley City is Utah's second largest city. On 26 February 1980 an incorporation vote was held for an unincorporated section of western Salt Lake County. By a scant ninety-vote margin incorporation as West Valley City was approved for portions of Granger, Hunter, and Chesterfield. Almost immediately a petition drive was started for a disincorporation vote. In May, petitions signed by 7,787 residents were filed with the Salt Lake County Clerk and a disincorporation vote was scheduled for 8 July, seven days after the city was scheduled to go into operation. Since the name West Valley City was seen as too cumbersome, a seven member committee was appointed to select a name for the new city. The Committee's choice of "Oquirrh City" was determined to be more awkward and it was decided to retain the original name of West Valley City.

On 1 July 1980 the city's new officials were sworn in, with Henry H. Price as mayor and Renee W. MacKay and Jerry L. Wagstaff as city commissioners. West Valley City was begun with no money, with borrowed equipment and personnel, and housed in a converted warehouse; in addition, it faced a disincorporation vote within a week. Since no financial institution would lend the new city funds, city officials were forced to pay for gasoline for the city's police cars with personal funds. On 8 July, the disincorporation vote failed by a margin of over 2,500 votes.