Salt Lake City mayoral candidate Jenny Wilson is calling on the City Council to step up its support of a fund that would invest in energy-efficiency projects in the city.

The council Tuesday indicated through straw polls that it would create Mayor Rocky Anderson's proposed Energy Fund for the Future in its budget work this month — but not at the full amount Anderson asked for.

Wilson, a current member of the Salt Lake County Council, released a statement Friday calling the fund the "next step in continuing Salt Lake City's environmental leadership for the state." The statement said the City Council should approve the full funding amount requested by Anderson.

The Energy Fund for the Future would annually collect 1 percent of the general fund's revenues — nearly $1.9 million this year — for a variety of uses, including investing in alternative energy sources, more efficient infrastructure on city property and loans for pro-efficiency upgrades in homes and businesses.

The fund would be overseen by a new sustainability director, a position that the mayor has also recommended creating in his budget. The position would cost the city $115,000 a year in salary and benefits.

The council Tuesday gave preliminary backing to an idea pushed by Councilman Carlton Christensen that would get the fund started at the beginning of 2008 with only $500,000, giving the council the rest of this year to set specific goals and criteria for the fund.

The position of sustainability director would also be created, but not until Jan. 15.

Two City Council members are also running for mayor, and both backed the delayed funding Tuesday. Councilwoman Nancy Saxton proposed pulling the sustainability director from the budget altogether, saying she saw potential overlap between the director's position and other jobs already at the city, including Anderson's environmental adviser.

When her proposal failed to garner majority support, she backed the partial funding. Councilman Dave Buhler, who voted in straw polling against Saxton's proposal but also voted against full immediate funding, backed the partial funding plan. Buhler is also running for mayor.

But Wilson disapproves of the delay.

"Why would we wait?" Wilson's statement said. "Let's make environmental protection a priority. Given the air quality battle we face in this valley, every locality should be making a commitment to improving our air and focusing on the environment."

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