County-Legislature peace?

They call Randy Horiuchi Nostradamus.

The Salt Lake County Councilman is known for his predictions of woe and misery coming the county's way, courtesy of the Utah Legislature.

The latest prediction paints a dreary picture for the future of Salt Lake County's relationship with lawmakers: "Anything we propose over the next five years will be DOA," Horiuchi told the Deseret Morning News.

Call him the Debbie Downer of the bunch.

Legislative leaders insist it's not that bad.

"I just don't see it quite as dire as Randy," said House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, who has come to verbal blows with several county leaders over the past few years.

Horiuchi's warnings have been a constant throughout several high-profile debates the past few years, all on topics where county leaders ended up on different ends of the philosophical stick than the Legislature: a soccer stadium for Real Salt Lake, transportation funding and school district split legislation.

Another omen came in March 2006, just before the county council voted against a funding plan to give Real Salt Lake hotel-room tax dollars to build a soccer stadium in Sandy: "If we go and torpedo this funding I think in the future, our credibility on Capitol Hill will be sorely damaged — damaged to the point that if we ever had a legislative agenda on Capitol Hill, this will serve as a reminder you should never do business in Salt Lake County."

Sound familiar?

Horiuchi's colleagues insist it won't be that bad. They've heard the warnings before and believe the historically rocky relationship with the Legislature is finally getting better.

"It's not that bad," Councilman Jeff Allen said. "The relationship is improving; they're gaining a little bit more trust in us."

County leaders are building that trust through an outreach plan. The plan is geared toward improving relationships and communication with legislators and includes inviting them to activities throughout the valley to show off just what Salt Lake County does.

In the next few weeks, legislators will be treated to an arts presentation at the Rose Wagner Performance Arts Center, as well as a Broadway touring show at Capitol Theatre to show the lawmakers the county's role in the arts, said Spencer Stokes, Salt Lake County's paid lobbyist.

The county also plans to invite legislators to the sheriff's shooting range to try out a simulator to show them how sheriff's deputies are trained, he said. Past events include posh seats at the Pioneer Day parade and several lunches.

"We are making every effort from a county standpoint to right this ship, if you will, in regard to the Legislature," Stokes said. "Nobody at the county wants to have the Legislature angry at them."