Fuss may do Rocky no harm

It's been a rough couple of weeks for Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson.

But despite the recent slate of imbroglios, political observers don't think all the fuss is likely to have much lasting effect on the mayor's legacy, his chances for re-election or his support from his highly loyal core constituency.

For certain "it's been a tough couple of months" for the mayor, notes Kirk Jowers, director of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics. "It seems like every week there's been some new allegation or controversy."

Most recently, some critics blamed him in part for losing a potential Real Salt Lake stadium to suburban Sandy. Also, earlier this past week, Salt Lake County Democratic Chairwoman Megan Risbon — echoing her Republican counterpart — called for a felony-level investigation into some of Anderson's recently-revealed spending decisions.

Prior to the past few weeks' woes, the City Council launched a formal audit into Anderson's funding of a memorial fountain on Library Square. Previously, the mayor came under fire for running up a bar and meal tab — $457 — while entertaining dignitaries at the Grand America hotel lobby lounge and paying it with taxpayer dollars. The controversy intensified a few days later after it was revealed Anderson hand-picked his girlfriend and other friends to attend a city-sponsored voyage to Torino, Italy.

Late Friday, Anderson said in a statement he is paying back the $457.88 tab from last July. He also said he has issued a policy that establishes an Expense Review Committee that will examine all expenses and reimbursements incurred by city employees. And he is calling on the City Council and the Utah Legislature to create gift bans similar to the one he adopted soon after taking office in 2000, according to a statement he issued.

Anderson has quit talking with reporters of the Deseret Morning News, which he blames for some of his recent woes.

Political observers are a bit unsure as to what it all might mean, and they note that the mayor has survived controversy in the past — even thrived in the tempests.

On the one hand, all the current controversy could leave Anderson with some diminished status.

On the other, Anderson's politics continue to give him hero status among his liberal base, and all the controversy may eventually blow over without much lasting effect.

"Mayor Anderson has the most dedicated core of followers of any public official in the state," Jowers said. It's a unique core because it probably is enough to keep him in office, Jowers noted, adding that "I haven't seen anything thus far that has diminished their full support of Mayor Anderson."