City Council members maintain they wanted the resolution to reflect reality and didn't want to build up hopes for promised funding that will never materialize.

"Let's be honest and not blow a lot of smoke," City Councilman Dave Buhler said.

City Council members also deny they ever promised funding, but Buhler said Anderson may have suggested RDA funding could be available.

"We were very clear that there was no money involved in this," City Councilwoman Nancy Saxton said. There are also concerns that helping the temple and church without tying that help to convention center expansion could violate constitutional prohibitions on government favoritism of one religion over another.

City and county leaders did discuss using some of the money left over from the $62 million Salt Palace expansion project to help Japan Town, but the Utah Legislature declined to raise hotel and restaurant taxes to the level needed to have any left over for Japan Town, city and county leaders agree.

Former Judge Raymond Uno, who heads up the Japanese Community Preservation Committee, said he had not seen the new resolution and didn't know if the committee would support it. He did agree, however, that city leaders never promised any money.

"There was some inferences that they would help us out, but nothing saying they were going to give us money," he said. The preservation committee is continuing to explore various public funding options including city, county and state funds, Uno said.

Friday, County Mayor Peter Corroon sent a letter to City Council Chairman Dale Lambert stating he wants to find a workable resolution of support for Japan Town.

"It is our desire that any actions described in the resolution are achievable and benefit all parties," Corroon wrote.

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E-mail: bsnyder@desnews.com