The Salt Lake County Council voted 6-3 to approve the $1.1 billion 2016 budget Tuesday night. It includes a $9.4 million dollar tax increase for criminal justice reform.Richard Snelgrove is chairman of the council. He says he voted against the proposed budget because the 20-year jail bond expires this month and the majority of the council just didn’t want to see that funding source end.
“And so to continue to hold onto that money and to re-purpose it for something else involved a tax increase, coincidentally for the very same amount of the bond, $9.4 million.”
Snelgrove says the budget is strong on criminal justice, mental health, and public safety; issues that affect everyone. He says the process for approving the budget was successful.
“Five Republicans, four Democrats; unlike Congress, we do function in a bipartisan nature. We’re respectful to each other’s opinions," says Snaelgrove, "each other’s point of view, and at the end of the day once the vote’s taken, we roll up our sleeves, move forward to try and get the public’s business done.”
A statement from Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdamsechoed Snelgrove's appreciation for the way the council worked together. The Mayor also said his budget prioritizes public safety as the county’s core responsibility.
