Almost every employee working in the public-safety building in downtown Salt Lake City has become stuck in the elevators.
Once, a suspect got stuck on his way to jail. He had to have his handcuffs removed so he could climb through a port in the elevator's ceiling to escape.
Another time, a burglary detective was stuck for 45 minutes on his way to court. He had all the supporting evidence with him.
"That doesn't make the prosecutor happy," said Police Sgt. Robin Snyder.
Stories of the infamous elevators were told Monday during a media tour of the building, which houses more than 600 police and civilian employees at the corner of 200 South and 300 East. Built in 1957, the building was retrofitted when police moved there in 1988.
The Monday tour revealed crowded conditions, windows broken from the building's shifting and plumbing that leaks onto evidence stored in the basement.
Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker has teamed up with the City Council and local business leaders to persuade voters to approve a $125 million bond to replace the dilapidated structure.
The proposal has been pared down by $67 million since 2007, when voters narrowly rejected a bond to build new facilities.
Now, the city believes it can get the most for its money by putting up two buildings on the block between 400 South and 500 South between 300 East and 400 East.
"We do not take lightly the issue of our taxpayer dollars," Becker said. "If I thought this could wait, I'd put it off."
The press conference and tour were organized by the city as part of a $75,000 "education effort." Some of the money has been raised from private companies in the city hoping to see the bond issue pass this fall, Becker said.
"The value (a new building) will create for property owners is greater than the cost of the taxes," said Bruce Hamilton, whose company has four office buildings downtown.
The two new structures would include offices and a separate emergency operations center. Salt Lake City is talking with the state, county and federal government for additional funding.
"This is an important decision that we can't take a chance on," council Chairman Carlton Christiansen said. "We've waited long enough and we need to move forward with it."
Becker echoed those comments.
"These facilities will enable us simply to do our jobs," he said.
If passed, the bond would cost about $75 a year for a $260,890 home over the 20-year life of the financing. That cost would almost double for commercial properties of the same value. For commercial property valued at $1 million, the annual cost for the bonds would be about $522.
The new taxes would be instituted in the summer of 2010 at the earliest, according to paperwork distributed by the city.
For more information, visit slc.gov/psb.
e-mail: rpalmer@desnews.com