Reader comments
Becker seeks to close Salt Lake's budget gap

Hey, Ralph what did you turn into a republican? Go ahead and raise my taxes. Let's get some of these programs taken care of.

Thank you Mayor Becker for being fiscally responsible and making what I'm sure were some very hard decisions in the best interest of your constituents. Keep up the good work!

I have always considered myself a Republican, so I find myself wondering what has happened in the world where the Democratic mayor of Salt Lake City is being fiscally responsible by not raising taxes and the "conservative" legislature is passing tax hikes.

Even my Republican friends in Salt Lake City are telling me what a great job Becker is doing.

Nice headline there. Too bad you failed to mention in that headline that he is cutting emergency services to "close the budget gap". And you also failed in that headline the mention that the budget deficit is 23 million dollars. That is nearly a $130 tax on every single resident in SLC.

While I don't blame Ralph Becker in his first year as the primary cause of the deficit (that responsibility relies on Rocky) he did not do enough to cut the budget down to a manageable size.

And to the above commenter "bizzaro world?" did you even read the article? He is raising property taxes as well as increasing user fees on various licenses, etc..

Also could it perhaps be that, just perhaps, the reason for the deficit is the highly expensive, much controversial so called "Domestic Partner Registry"? Nah, that could never be the case.

It will be interesting to see if the City Council cuts any of their staffing which has increased to an all time high. It's always easy to cut lower level employees but the Administrative and Legislative bodies always seem to have justification as to why they shouldn't feel the same pain. Set the example Council. Maybe cut back on some of those expensive dinners you have catered in.

The fact is that Mayor Becker cut the budget gap from $23 million to nothing and presented a balanced budget, he's not spending or taxing $23 million. The $130 tax you referenced was the handiwork of the Republican majority in the Utah State Legislature, they taxed Salt Lake City residents and business owners that amount, as the article clearly states.

Mayor Becker didn't add to that tax burden, despite the huge budget gap, because he didn't think what the Republicans did was right and wanted to protect people from an even bigger tax hit.

The old stereotypes about Democrats and Republicans no longer apply. Republicans aren't fiscally conservative, look at the property tax hikes in Davis County for another good example of Republicans raising taxes. Most Utah Democratic elected leaders, like Peter Corroon and Ralph Becker have a common sense, humble and reasonable approach to governing that�s why they are so popular � so do many of the Democratic candidates in other parts of Utah, unfortunately, they can�t get elected because there�s not an R next to their name.

I agree that both Republicans and Democrats are complicit in our overspending. Too many of now see government as the answer to all our problems, and we're more tolerant of government spending on non-necessities. We're also seeing the government compete more with private businesses, and we're not complaining enough. Here's how to solve the problem: Stop funding golf course (sell them to private companies), bus lines, train lines, Broadway style theaters, etc. Stop paying city workers to pick up citizen's spring cleanup trash (private companies would be glad to do that for a fee). Stop subsiding art museums, the symphony and soccer stadiums. I, for one, will not vote for a candidate unless I'm convinced he will reduce governmental spending and lower taxes. I've seen the government too many times get involved in businesses they should avoid. And spend my money as if it grew on a tree.

SLC residents are going to have to pay a share of the costs of this transit religion tithing.

$35 million for Airport TRAX will cost homeowners $600 to $800 just to pay for part of the build cost.

Add even more to provide free rides on TRAX and FrontRunner for the free fare zone-(TRAX only) and employee passes.

Add more for SLC's share of paying for increased diesel fuel and other energy costs at UTA.

Salt Lake CBD gets most of the benefit from TRAX andFrontRunner. Many legislators recognized the "All rails lead to Rome" impact of the trend to rail transit here.

Mostly, Salt Lake is getting a relatively free ride for rail transit. Federal taxes paid all the cost of North South TRAX, (including "UTA's share" ...which came from a $15 million per year jump in FED assistance for maintenance in 1997).

While Salt Lake squanders most of our transportation infrastructure money on UTA trains, other areas will be stuck permanently in congestion like that enjoyed in New York and London.

Southwestern Salt Lake valley deserves the congestion for going along with this CBD-transit scam.

Rich,

Salt Lake City's golf courses operate as an enterprise fund. They are self-sufficient. Your taxes do not fund golf operations in Salt Lake City. Golfer fees and other operational revenue sources fund Salt Lake City's eight golf facilities. I am a SLC Golf employee involved in the budgeting process.

The mayor is cutting emergency services to help balance a budget! The 3nd due fire engine to my residence would no longer exist. Wow, that sounds like a heck of a deal? No matter how you look at it, he is closing a fire station to pay for a CERT program. Becker is willing to trade the professionals for citizen response teams. The residents of District's 4,5 & 6 should be outraged. Station 5 helps protect these citizens 365 days a year. I bet those CERT teams will respond on Christmas day right. Oh, and by the way, common knowledge is that most fire departments across the nation run 80% medicals. That's the nature of the buisness. Mr. Mayor, you should be ashamed that you do not understand the dynamics of the departments you oversee. Coming from a democrat, there is a reason why I voted for Buhler. Wake up and smell the coffee.

First, the Legislature did not raise property tax to pay for the Jordan School District split. They equalized the property tax levy that builds schools throughout the county. If the residents of Herriman and South Jordan are going to pay for Capitol Theatre, Abravanel Hall, the zoo and massive Trax infrastructure then the least SLC can do is help build schools.

Quality facilities for our kids are just as important as a quality facility for the panda bears.