Citing a deteriorating financial position that has the county at the point of "near rupture," Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman presented a 2002 budget Tuesday that is flat but proposes no tax increase.
The $520 million budget, unveiled before the nine-member County Council, will continue the county's practice of a hiring freeze but does include raises for existing employees.
"Once again I am asking you to be anti-tax," Workman said. "I believe limited government, which taxes less, actually provides far greater opportunities than a big government, which taxes more."
Workman outlined the five major goals of her proposed budget, including maintaining adequate reserves so the county can hold onto its AAA bond rating.
Under her plan, employees are on line to receive a 2.5 percent cost-of-living increase in 2002, as well as merit increases of 2.75 percent.
The austere plan, however, does slash $400,000 from the county's golf-course fund, makes cuts to the county's grant program and represents a $1.5 million slash to the jail by curtailing costs.
Workman also announced she wants to sell the Oxbow facility, the jail that houses misdemeanor offenders.
One notable aspect of the budget is Workman's plan to beef up security at the county's government center in light of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Late Tuesday morning the County Council was continuing to listen to the mayor's presentation, but her plan did draw cautious praise from one County Council member.
"Issues like jail funding, why the county's golf enterprise fund is in trouble and employee compensation are issues the council will want to deal with," Jim Bradley said.