The recent political flap between Utah's capital and suburban Davis County is turning into a battle of bumper stickers.

A week after Davis County leaders broke out their old supply of "I (heart) Davis County" bumper stickers, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson has commissioned some stickers of his own.

Anderson's version has a similar message — "I (heart) Salt Lake City!" — but with some environmental twists. In Salt Lake City's version — designed by the mayor's office — the heart is green (instead of red) and a small tree is centered in the middle. Also the dot in the exclamation point consists of a symbol of the letter "E" for the environment.

There's another important difference — Anderson is paying for their production out of his own pocket.

"We have one that's going into production," city spokeswoman Deeda Seed said. "Rocky's paying for it himself."

The exact cost to Anderson was not known, but Seed explained that the mayor didn't feel taxpayers should pay for the new stickers. The mayor's office had considered waging a minor fund-raising campaign among private entities to fund the stickers, but then the mayor decided to spring for the stickers himself.

Armed with the new bumper stickers, Anderson sent a letter to Davis County Commissioner Alan Hansen Tuesday stating: "I look forward to an honest, open, respectful dialogue — and hope soon to meet with you to swap bumper stickers."

Anderson has said he would put an "I (heart) Davis County" sticker on his natural-gas Honda Civic if Davis County Commissioners will place similar Salt Lake City stickers on their cars.

Hansen has said he would honor Anderson's deal.

Anderson has been given a Davis County sticker but hasn't put it on his car as yet, Seed said.

Davis County politicians and residents have been somewhat perturbed at Anderson since his Jan. 11 State of the City speech. In that speech, Anderson chided his "friends from the north" who clog traffic, foul the air and "make us sick simply because of the choices they make about where they live and how they get around."

Hansen penned a letter to Anderson demanding an apology. Anderson has since said he didn't mean to offend residents, but his comments came out of his disdain for the Legacy Parkway, a 14-mile stretch of road through western Davis County that is expected to cost some $750 million.

In his reply letter to Hansen Tuesday, Anderson said he is fighting against the parkway because he thinks it will lead to more dependance on the automobile, which will lead to more air pollution along the often terribly polluted Wasatch Front.

"Although the tone of your letter is not conducive to reasoned discourse about the crucial public health, transportation and environmental issues facing us," Anderson wrote, "I will respond to several of the mischaracterizations and misquotes in your letter — and will explain once again why we need a radically different approach to transportation if we are to improve our poor quality of air in our region, reduce the incidence of serious respiratory and cardiac diseases and cancers and preserve valuable open spaces."

Hansen could not be reached for comment late Wednesday.

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E-mail: bsnyder@desnews.com