Congress tags $900,000 for Salt Lake YouthCity

Salt Lake City's YouthCity Program has received a boost of federal cash.

Mayor Rocky Anderson announced this week that Congress, at Rep. Jim Matheson's urging, had given a one-time allocation of $900,000 to the mayor's pet YouthCity Program.

"It's easy to advocate for good programs," Matheson said Friday. "This request went before Congress and Congress voted to fund this project."

The city received the same funds last year, but Matheson said it was not clear whether YouthCity would continue to get the funds.

YouthCity provides educational opportunities for the city's teenagers, mostly those in junior high school. From dance to disc jockey classes, the program offers potentially bored kids an outlet for their talents after school.

Anderson has fought to fund the new program since its inception two years ago.