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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- For the second year in a row, Mayor Rocky Anderson has proposed raising property taxes, in part to hire more police officers.
The mayor told the City Council during his annual budget presentation Tuesday that the tax increase was essential, in part to help cover deep federal cuts to law enforcement.
Anderson sought additional revenue to hire four more patrol officers, four detectives, two crime-lab technicians and a sergeant.
"Our downtown population really soars, it almost doubles during the day. It just creates a lot of calls for service," Police Chief Chris Burbank said.
Last year, Anderson wanted to raise taxes for officers, but the council refused and instead found money in the existing budget to hire 10 more officers. Those officers are about to finish their training and start patrolling.
The council will craft the city's $605 million budget by June.
Some council members agreed more officers are needed, but they hoped to avoid a tax hike.
"My hope is we would be passing a budget without another property tax increase," said Council Chairman Dave Buhler. The need for more officers should be "balanced with what citizens can afford to pay."
Anderson also wants to hire an open-space coordinator, another prosecutor, more planning staff and an energy-efficiency coordinator for the department that includes parks, golf and streets.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
