Still, Becker and City Council Chairwoman Jill Remington Love agree that Salt Lake City fared better in this year's legislative session than it has in recent years.

The bias that Becker said is historically attached to the capital city remained, though this year's session didn't feature any of the personal animosity that has been aimed at Salt Lake City in the past, the mayor said.

"While we had policy differences that reflect some difference in Salt Lake City from a lot of the rest of the state, I didn't feel like it was directed in a vindictive way toward Salt Lake City," Becker said.

Rep. Greg Hughes, R-Draper, agreed, saying the improved relations had a lot to do with Becker having been a former colleague with strong relationships among legislators.

It also helped that Becker is a much less polarizing figure than Salt Lake City's previous mayor, Rocky Anderson.

"The past mayor had been a lightning rod of controversy," Hughes said. "He not only received it, but he welcomed it. With Mayor Becker, he understands our process."

As the progressive center of a mostly conservative state, Salt Lake City often is at odds with the majority of the Legislature, and Hughes said he expects that to continue. The difference now, he said, is that divisions between the capital city and the rest of the state are issue-based.

"I think some of the demagoguery and personalities won't take the front seat like it has in the past," Hughes said.

Senate Minority Whip Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake, said tension was lower this year because Becker is new to the Salt Lake City post.

"I think there's a bit of a honeymoon," Davis said.

Love, now in her second term on the Salt Lake City Council, praised Becker for his diplomacy, not only in working with the Legislature but also with the council.

"This was the most collaborative it's been since I've been on the City Council," she said.

There were years when the council and Mayor Anderson couldn't even agree on a legislative agenda, Love said. This year, the mayor's and council's agendas were one and the same.

"It really felt like we as a city were one team this year," she said.

Ben McAdams, Becker's senior adviser for intergovernmental affairs, said he believes this legislative session will go a long way toward an improved relationship between the Legislature and Salt Lake City.

"I hope we've shown to legislators that while we may have some differences, we are also a capital city they can be proud of and take ownership of as well," McAdams said.

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Legislative report card

Here's how Salt Lake City fared on key issues of the 2008 legislative session:

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