Salt Lake County, City spar over public safety bond

If city residents vote down the bond in November, the three members of the County Council want city officials to ask the state to include a $100 million bond on the ballot during the February 2008 presidential primary.

In a Deseret Morning News poll in September, 52 percent of Salt Lake City registered voters said they would vote for the public safety bond — and the accompanying property-tax increase of about $114 on a $200,00 home. The poll, conducted by Dan Jones & Associates, indicated that 39 percent said they would vote against the bond and 10 percent were undecided. The poll had a 4.4 percent margin of error.

If the bond fails, Burbank said, the city has two options: moving forward with a sales-tax bond that doesn't require voter approval or absorbing costs for the facilities into the police and fire budgets. The latter option would hinder the police and fire departments' ability to add personnel, he said.

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