Crockett Concerned About Budget As He Exits Salt Lake County Council

Dec 15, 2008 by Jeff Robinson

(KCPW News) Outgoing Salt Lake County Councilman Mark Crockett will be formally recognized at tomorrow's council meeting as he makes the final appearance of his four-year term. The Holladay Republican, who failed to convince the council to slash the 2009 budget by an additional $10 million in recent weeks, remains concerned that the cuts didn't go far enough.

"The current budget projections, not just through 2009 but out into 2010, show that the general fund, which is the largest of the county's funds, will be in the negative by $25 million or so," said Crockett. "And I thought that we should get started working against that this coming year rather than just waiting until the 2010 budget, when the problem could be a lot bigger."

Crockett says it's not a matter of whether additional cuts will be needed down the line, but when.

In addition to the budget, the councilman remains concerned about Salt Lake County's criminal justice system.

"I think putting treatment programs in Oxbow Jail is a short-term patch that doesn't really acknowledge the long changes that we know need to be made in terms of the mentally ill, those who are drug dependent," he said. "It's the biggest area that we spend money on, and we know we're not doing it in the most constructive way."

Crockett says he'll miss being on the council as it goes through difficult economic times, but he'll also enjoy having more free time. He was defeated by Democrat Jani Iwamoto in November.

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