From Deseret News archives:

Corroon's wish list granted; $808 million budget OK'd

Published: Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2006 10:02 p.m. MST
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Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon wanted more programs for kids, he wanted to make the county more environmentally friendly and he wanted the county to prepare for whatever the future may bring.

Tuesday, he got all of those budget requests — and then some.

The Salt Lake County Council on Tuesday approved a 2007 county budget of $808 million — with no tax increases. That figure does not include the $65 million of recreation projects voters approved last month.

Corroon only asked for $805 million. Through the budget process, the council added more than $3 million of requests, including a new arena at the equestrian park as well as a pay raise for all sworn patrol deputies in the sheriff's office.

"There were some additions we didn't want," Corroon said after the council approved the budget. "But all in all, I felt like it was a good give and take."

A healthy economy that fueled a boost in sales-tax revenues will help fund a bevy of new programs Corroon asked for — from a countywide recycling program to several programs that focus on Salt Lake County children.

"In the six years that I've been elected in here, this was probably one of our easier budgets to do," Councilman Michael Jensen said. "It's always easy to do a good budget when you have good revenue streams."

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County leaders focused on long-term projects in the 2007 budget process.

The budget includes cash to start long-range planning for development on the west bench. County planners estimate approximately 500,000 new residents will move there in the next 80 years.

Also funded are two positions Corroon insists are key to county planning: an environmental coordinator and an emergency services coordinator.

Corroon wants to incorporate environmental ideas into everyday county operations. He said the environmental coordinator has the potential to save the county hundreds of thousands of dollars in water and energy bills.

The green-friendly mayor wants to expand the county's recycling program, and the council approved a $4.5 million request to make the voluntary program a required initiative countywide. The money would be used to place a blue recycling bin on the curb of every home in the county's sanitation district.

The budget includes $400,000 to start a child immunization program in the county. The money would pay to immunize 11,000 low-income children under the age of 2 in the county health system. The council also approved Corroon's request for additional funds for increased staffing levels at the county's after-school program in Kearns.

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