For the third consecutive year, Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman doesn't want to raise taxes, despite declining tax revenues and a suffering economy.
Workman has instead recommended cutting departmental budgets and further tightening an already-instituted hiring freeze in her proposed 2004 budget, which she submitted to the Salt Lake County Council on Monday.
"These are difficult times that require difficult decisions," Workman said. "Our taxpayers have already done their fair share, and this budget will not raise taxes."
Workman asked all of the county departments to submit flat budgets and to look at ways to cut spending by about 2 percent, such as reducing travel. At the same time, they would have to absorb employee pay increases of 3.75 percent, amounting to an approximate cut of 1.75 percent for each department.
"To govern is to choose, and choices are tough," she said. "Let's just make sure these choices are fair."
Although the budget remains essentially flat, total revenues have actually decreased by $4.1 million. To maintain a balanced budget, even with the 2 percent underexpend factored in, Workman has proposed decreasing the fund balances by more than $4 million.
With very little additional money to spend, capital projects would be significantly curtailed, and most programs would not be expanded, Workman said. Also in the proposed budget, which would be reviewed by the County Council before final approval is given later this month:
No new employees would be hired without approval of both Workman and the County Council unless ongoing, outside funding will cover the cost.
Sheriff Aaron Kennard would not get the helicopters he had requested.
The county's AAA bond rating would be preserved.
Previously approved projects such as a fire station in Emigration Canyon and money for acquiring green space would not be impacted by the cuts.
After the presentation, Democratic Councilman Joe Hatch said that the proposed spending plan was utilizing a "borrow-and-spend" policy that would hurt future budgets, even if Workman's "Polyannic view" of an improved economy is true. However, he did not expect to see any tax increase in the budget, considering that this will be her last budget before next year's election.
"We're no better off than we were three years ago, when the County Commission had to impose their Draconian tax increase," Hatch said. "Their hope is to get past this election and into next year."
Republican Councilman Steve Harmsen also had concerns, especially when expenses are outpacing revenues. Although he said Workman "had made most of the hard decisions," he was concerned that without an increase in funding, the county would have to look hard at a tax increase in the next couple of years.
"If we're living off the fund balances and drawing down the reserves every year, then we're headed for a tax increase," he said. "That's what has been happening every year."
E-MAIL: jloftin@desnews.com