Salt Lake enjoys Capitol honeymoon

Published: Friday, March 7, 2008 12:19 a.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Ralph Becker was well-rested and in good spirits Thursday, a day after the Utah Legislature wrapped up its 2008 general session.

Salt Lake City's domestic partnership registry remained substantively intact following legislative scrutiny, a funding source was identified for a light-rail line to the airport, and Becker was able to get to bed at a decent hour Wednesday night.

It was a welcome change for Becker, Salt Lake City's first-year mayor who had spent the previous 11 years in the state House of Representatives.

Overall, it was a positive legislative session for Salt Lake City, Becker said, one in which the city was able to "lay the groundwork for future sessions and to build trust with the Legislature."

In many ways, he said, his new role is a continuation of his time on the Hill. Becker's relationships with lawmakers, particularly those in leadership positions, earned city officials an audience willing to listen and negotiate on issues important to Salt Lake City and its residents, the mayor said.

Two pieces of legislation in particular — one dealing with the city's ability to create a domestic partnership registry and the other filling the funding gap for the airport TRAX line — were the result of legislators being willing to sit down with Salt Lake City officials and take into consideration their concerns, Becker said.

Story continues below

"There is little doubt in my mind that had we not had the ability to have good conversations up there, we would have been big-time losers on those two bills," he said. "The city would have suffered, and in the case of light rail, the whole region would have suffered."

Salt Lake City didn't escape the session completely unscathed. The city's domestic partnership registry will need a new name, as some legislators felt the term, at least in spirit, violated Utah's constitutional Amendment No. 3, which bans same-sex marriage and substantially similar civil unions.

Becker already is referring to the city-run mechanism by which employers can extend heath care and other benefits to adult designees of their employees as "the registry." (He also jokingly referred to it as "the registry formerly known as the domestic partnership registry," uttering the disputed term in a barely audible whisper.)

And then there's the legislative effort to equalize capital funding for schools that resulted in the Salt Lake City, Murray and Granite school districts being forced to help pay for the financial consequences of the Jordan School District split.

Still, Becker and City Council Chairwoman Jill Remington Love agree that Salt Lake City fared better in this year's legislative session than it has in recent years.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

Kill hate-crimes bill

Hate Crime Law dates back to 1969 and permits federal prosecution of hate...

Swell: How about a nonpartisan investigation so that unethical Democrats...

The $5000 rule isn't the only rule. If he is actively campaigning with signs...

Millard County teacher faces new sex charges

i know the guy is a dirtbag and all and should be punished, but why aren't...

Aggies go 6-5 Beat BYU yes that is what I said. Give Utah a good game.

Fesenko really hurt himself and his team by not showing up in the Orlando...

If you read the article closely you will see it says the officers hand got...

Obama controls all

To "Colin Powell is right on | 10:50 a.m." as long as we are going to use...

Thomas would be a very welcome addition. Free up room to sign Milsap longer...

Advertisements