Becker determined to build Salt Lake public safety complex
During his State of the City report Tuesday night, Mayor Ralph Becker announced plans to place a bond initiative on the ballot in November to address the need for police and fire facilities.
The project will be "substantially streamlined" and have a reduced price tag from the $192 million bond proposal that was narrowly rejected by voters in 2007, Becker said.
"While the 2007 bond campaign was unsuccessful, the need for an efficient, modern public safety facility has only increased," he said.
Becker assembled a team last January his first month in office to explore options for a new public safety complex, he said. That team was able to reduce estimated costs by "defining essential services, using resources efficiently and taking advantage of the synergies of colocating the buildings near other city services such as the justice court and City Hall," the mayor said.
The new complex calls for a state-of-the-art emergency operations center for disaster management and an intelligence-gathering fusion center. Becker said he will seek partnerships with federal, state and local agencies to help with those facilities.
In 2007, voters defeated the public safety bond by just 263 votes 21,269 to 21,006. The bond would have paved the way for five new public safety buildings at three locations.
About $100 million of the bond would have gone to replace the 50-year-old building at 315 E. 200 South, which public safety officials have called "dilapidated" and "unsafe."
But the hefty price tag, and its accompanying property-tax increase of $175 per year on a $300,000 home, made the bond a tough sell. The proposal also had several high-profile opponents, including then-Mayor Rocky Anderson.
Becker said he'll be "working closely" with the City Council to move forward with a project worthy of support from residents in a time of economic decline.
"It absolutely is a time of belt-tightening and conserving, and it is absolutely a time for caution and common sense," Becker said. "... But that does not mean we stop, cancel or close down."
It's with that mentality that the city is moving forward with a downtown theater capable of hosting first-run touring Broadway shows.
Recent comments
You have already burdened the citizens enough. Wake up, we are all...
Anonymous | Jan. 15, 2009 at 1:19 a.m.
He will have this on a ballot so people can reject it if they want...
Congrats to the Mayor | Jan. 14, 2009 at 5:40 p.m.
How much can a few quonset huts cost? How about a few old rail cars,...
Davis | Jan. 14, 2009 at 11:58 a.m.
- New plans for Sandy Proscenium land 3:27 p.m.
- Holladay development appeal denied 2:59 p.m.
- BYU bug to aid in soil clean up 2:50 p.m.
- Provo council members say goodbye 2:49 p.m.
- Rancher run over by tractor, injured 2:45 p.m.
- Stronger retail boost stocks 2:44 p.m.
- Snow hampers missing mom search 2:24 p.m.
- Gun laws becoming more loose 2:16 p.m.
- Drug combo improves cancer survival 2:13 p.m.
- Cable falls on I-80; lanes reopened 2:11 p.m.
- Letters: Global warming a lie
268 - TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
207 - BYU football: Bronco weighs in on Hall
194 - Palin signs books, chats with fans
169 - Utah/BYU rivalry can be more civil
151 - Cougars going back to Vegas
150 - Andersen apologizes for Jordan hoax
142 - Nude bathers cited for lewdness
133 - Max Hall wants to look ahead
130 - Jazz fall apart late at L.A.
110
David Rankin, one of Utah's youngest and ablest astrophotographers has...
There was a time when free shipping was rare. This holiday season, you...
Love him or hate him, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch knows how to get attention.
Pitta may not translate well in the NFL just because in most offenses at the...
The generals could probably do in a couple of weeks considering our fire...
Guns are not a right? Ever read the second ammendment? Restrictive gun laws...
It is sad that the kid will have to spend life in prison, but he made his...
I have 8 children from teenagers to infant age and all are precious to me. I...
Why are they looking in the places he 'claims' he went camping? Do they...
SO THE OFICER NEEDED TO FOLLOW HIM AND WAIT 5 OR 6 MORE BLOCKS UNTIL THE MAN...
#2 In the 11 months that Obama has been in office the economy has not created...
I can't vouch for the original person who took you to task for your stupid...
Zane What an honor, seems like you just keep tickin, We are really proud of...


