SALT LAKE CITY — The Republican-Democratic battle over majority control of the Salt Lake County Council flared up again Thursday, when Democratic challenger Catherine Kanter criticized Councilman Richard Snelgrove for "refusing" to face her in a debate.

But the Republican incumbant brushed off Kanter's jab, saying he's prioritized other campaign events to "maximize" voter engagement in the limited days now leading up to the November election.

It's the latest squabble over the at-large County Council seat that could tip the political scales in Utah's largest county, which has remained GOP-majority controlled since 2011.

While Snelgrove and Kanter criticized each other last month over campaign money and illegal campaign signs, Kanter on Thursday shifted the conversation to policy issues, calling a news conference to sum up her stance on issues ranging from criminal justice reform to preservation of the Wasatch Mountains.

"There is much at stake for the future of our county, and our voters deserve the opportunity to make an informed decision," Kanter said, accusing Snelgrove of lacking "transparency" for declining two debate invitations — one from the University of Utah and another from the League of Women Voters.

But Snelgrove said Kanter was "grasping at straws" over his debate invitation denials, saying he has the right to use his campaign time how he sees fit, and most of his time leading up to the election has already been scheduled out with meet-the-candidate events and other grass-roots initiatives.

"I have to use my time where I feel like I can get the most value in terms of voter contact and outreach," he said. "In terms of this claim I'm somehow dodging debates or engaging with the public, she's flat out wrong."

Due to the absence of a debate format, Kanter said she organized Thursday's event to distinguish herself and her platforms from Snelgrove.

She accused Snelgrove of being "rarely willing to cross party lines or engage in compromise," and for having a "history of voting 'no' as a knee-jerk reaction to new ideas that may require time, innovation and thoughtfulness."

She pointed to Snelgrove's opposition to the county's criminal justice reform initiative last year, which Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams proposed to fund through an extension of a property tax originally imposed in 1995 to build the county jail.

"When my opponent had the chance to implement (an initiative) that would relieve pressure on our jail and address some of the underlying causes of crime, such as treatment for the mentally ill and the drug addicted, he voted 'no,'" Kanter said.

While the $9.4 million levy ultimately passed, Snelgrove was one of two other GOP council members who voted against it, arguing that it "violated the county's contract with voters and taxpayers," since they expected the 20-year bond to expire once it was paid off.

"I felt it was disingenuous," Snelgrove said, but he added that once the council approved the tax levy, he "participated fully" in how the money would be best spent for criminal justice reform. The council eventually voted unanimously to approve criminal justice reform, including a Pay for Success initiative that Snelgrove initially was reluctant to support, viewing it as an "experiment" with taxpayer dollars.

"Of the hundreds and hundreds of votes I've cast over my first term, it's hard to imagine anyone agreeing with all of them," Snelgrove said, though he added that he's always tried to be the "advocate and watchdog for the taxpayer dollar."

But Kanter accused Snelgrove of having a "pattern of refusing to support public safety initiatives — even those that have the potential of saving taxpayers over the long run."

Kanter also accused Snelgrove of being unsupportive of creating the Mountain Planning District, pointing to a Feb. 24 meeting last year in which Snelgrove voted against supporting a bill that would allow the creation of the district in state law.

At the time, Snelgrove said he believed the county would be the best steward for the canyons and he worried the bill would "open the door" for incorporations.

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Later in the year, however, Snelgrove joined in voting 8-0 to create the Mountain Planning District on Oct. 27, after the bill had passed the Utah Legislature.

Pointing to that vote, Snelgrove said he has in fact prioritized the protection of the county's mountains, indicating his support of the Mountain Accord and a new "slugging" program to help relieve skier traffic.

Email: kmckellar@deseretnews.com

Twitter: KatieMcKellar1

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