Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker joined Ogden Mayor Mike Caldwell at the State capitol today in announcing their ideas on how government on both the local and state level can help improve air quality.
The long list of proposed actions put forth by the two mayors starts with a call to individuals to do what they can to eliminate trips in the car. The list then calls for the state legislature to act by, among other things, increasing the gas tax and raising the limit that local cities are allowed to increase sales tax in order to fund public transit. Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker says it is in everyone’s best interest to act as soon as possible.
“For a whole variety of reasons, whether it’s our health, whether it’s for economic reasons, whether it’s for the quality of our life, we need to take more steps and better action than we’ve taken today if we’re going to address air quality,” Becker says.
Later, Governor Gary Herbert applauded the efforts of the mayor’s but also pointed to the work the state’s already been doing.
“We’ve passed 22 different new laws and regulations just since last November," Herbert says. "So, this is current. But we are doing some remarkable good things, can we do more? Yes.”
Governor Herbert says he’s not sure if raising the gas tax or increasing the local sales tax limit are good ideas but he is willing to take a look at idea and proposal on the issue.