Salt Lake County leaders have reached a tentative agreement on a pair of resolutions resolving legal questions on a property tax veto issued by Mayor Peter Corroon last week.

Last Thursday, Corroon nixed a property tax increase — passed by the Democrat-controlled Salt Lake County Council — that would have shifted more than $5 million in county debt from sales tax revenue repayment to property tax. The added levy would have raised annual taxes on a $250,000 by about $10.

A legal review of Corroon's veto document by the council's legal adviser, Karl Hendrickson, indicated the move may also have eradicated the entirety of the county's property tax levy and undone about $20 million in budget cuts adopted since the first of the year. To address the issues, Corroon and council chairman Joe Hatch, a Democrat, agreed to two new resolutions that will ensure that county tax rates, without the increase, remain intact and that previous budget work is properly enacted. Corroon, who had spoken out against any further fiscal obligations for county residents since the tax increase was first proposed, said the fix was an appropriate solution.

"I believe this resolution is good for county government and our citizens," Corroon said. "We will continue to take steps to balance our county budget without imposing additional burdens on our citizens."

Hatch, who championed the tax increase as the appropriate tool to address a loss of more than $9 million in county investment earnings — on top of already dwindling revenues -- concurred that the new resolutions would adequately address legal questions.

"I want to thank the mayor and his staff, council Republicans, the district attorney and her office, and especially Karl Hendrickson and my Democratic council colleagues for all the tough work to make this compromise possible," Hatch said. "The citizens and taxpayers of Salt Lake County can be very proud that their government has worked so well on their behalf."

The resolutions will be before the council for a formal vote on July 14.

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