SALT LAKE CITY — Newly elected Mayor Jackie Biskupski made it clear Tuesday night that Utah's capital city will be held to high standards under her administration.

In her first State of the City address, Biskupski outlined her strategy for confronting the issues of homelessness, crime and air quality, while promoting economic development.

"We have assessed the state of our city, not with a critical eye, but with a fresh perspective," the mayor told several hundred onlookers who gathered at Mountain View Elementary School. "I believe we must build a more collaborative, bottom-up and inclusive culture in order to be more responsive to you, the people, who live and work here."

Homelessness and crime

Biskupski identified short- and long-term strategies to take care of Salt Lake's homeless populations. She said her team will push the Utah Legislature to fund a $27 million request by the city and Salt Lake County to help fund new shelters and services for a "truly compassionate and statewide solution."

To address short-term needs, the mayor said she will convene the Downtown Alliance, Salt Lake City Police Department and area businesses to expand programs such as the Clean Team, a street-to-work program that provides daily employment opportunities for those experiencing homelessness.

"We cannot address this crisis," Biskupski added, "without also addressing crime. And regardless of where you live, drugs are driving the majority of crime in your neighborhood."

As she promised on the campaign trail, Biskupski said the city police department will coordinate with other law enforcement agencies to crack down on drugs at the street, supply and import levels.

"(Interim Police Chief Mike Brown) indicated to me that his teams simply needed to be allowed to work with other agencies," she said. "(He) not only has that permission from me now, it's my expectation."

The mayor said she has also given public safety leaders 90 days to deliver a draft plan to address stresses on 911 dispatchers who have been on mandatory overtime for years.

"They must put aside differences and find a solution to move forward, one that will keep the public safe and bring relief to our first responders," Biskupski said.

Air quality

Another top priority for Biskupski, she said, is "working to clear our skies."

The new mayor said she plans to create a new city department — the Department of Sustainability — with a primary goal of improving air quality. Salt Lake City previously had an Office of Sustainability.

"This elevation from a division to a department puts sustainability on equal footing — both real and perceived — with every other function of city government," Biskupski said.

But the "first critical step," the mayor said, is getting a bill passed this year by the Utah Legislature that would update building codes to be more energy efficient and clean-air friendly.

"These codes have not been updated in years," Biskupski said, noting that her policy team will be lobbying for support from legislators on the bill. "Failure to act this session will allow the cause of up to 30 percent of our air pollution to go unchecked for years."

The mayor also pledged to explore ways to fund the maintenance of the city's coordinated traffic lights to reduce travel times and emissions. The system was installed years ago but has not been regularly recalibrated due to lack of funding, she said.

"Even with better traffic lights, I'm confident that if individuals who live and work in this city could get around better on public transportation, they would do it," Biskupski added.

The mayor said she also plans to explore ways to create a stronger city bus system through partnerships with the University of Utah, private bus companies and the Utah Transit Authority.

Economy

To develop a stronger "economic identity" for Salt Lake City — on par with Utah County's "Silicon Slopes" — the mayor said she plans to elevate the city's economic development division to department-level status.

The mayor said she will also launch a nationwide search for a new economic development director to lead the new department.

To better serve businesses, the mayor also called for an audit of the city's existing planning and business ordinances to make recommendations to the City Council for streamlining the process.

"We will continue to develop our beautiful downtown, but just as importantly, we will cultivate lively business centers in other communities that keep waiting for the attention they deserve: Rose Park, Poplar Grove, North Temple, Liberty Wells, and right here in Glendale."

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