Public Safety Bond Official Dead

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(KCPW News) Every provisional and absentee has now been counted and the 2007 election results are final. In Salt Lake City, a 192-million dollar bond for new public safety buildings is officially dead. Public safety advocate Pat Shea blames late-breaking opposition to the bond:

"My challenge to the last-minute critics like Mayor Anderson and my friend Joe Hatch on the County Council is 'You better come up with a plan,'" says Shea. "Otherwise, when that catastrophic earthquake or other event happens, people will be wondering why they don't have safe police and fire facilities."

Shea led a coalition that campaigned in support of the public safety bond. Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson says there are more fair ways to pay for new police and fire buildings than saddling property owners city-wide. Especially since large nonprofit hospitals that rely heavily on public safety services would be exempt from the bond.

SLC Police Chief Chris Burbank says his department is in desperate need of a new headquarters building downtown. The City Council will form an advisory council to come up with a new proposal for funding the buildings.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom, Election Coverage, and Election 2007. Copyright 2008 KCPW