"It's almost 10 o'clock and I'm going to bed," Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker boasted Wednesday evening. "First time in a dozen years."
Becker's early slumber is telling for what it represents: The major threats to the capital had been safely tucked in, with little chance of last-minute hijinks.
Indeed, socially liberal Salt Lake City survived conservative Capitol Hill mostly unscathed during Becker's first turn as capital captain. Insiders say his 11 years as a state lawmaker - many as mild-mannered minority leader - made all the difference.
It also marked a departure from the turbulent tenure of Rocky Anderson, whose abrasive manner as mayor often spawned state-lawmaker retaliation.
"It's been much more collaborative," City Councilman Eric Jergensen told Becker during the session's penultimate night. "A lot of it has to do with you."
Becker, whose modesty proved more effective than his mouth, agreed.
"We came as close as possible to holding ourselves harmless," the mayor allowed. "We've laid the groundwork for much greater success in coming years."
Turns out, 2008 was not petty or punitive - at least at the end.
Threats to downtown liquor permits, creek corridors and the airport TRAX line all were averted. And the domestic-partnership registry - the No. 1 pariah of the Utah Eagle Forum and conservative crusader LaVar Christensen - was allowed at adjournment. (It simply must be renamed).
"It wasn't a perfect session for us," said Council Chairwoman Jill Remington Love. "But things probably could have been worse."
The city's worst hit came in an education measure, where lawmakers decided to levy a countywide tax for the reshaped Jordan School District.
"I didn't see the legislation as an effort to hurt Salt Lake City," Becker explained. "Rather it was a politically expedient decision to find a way to fund the Jordan District split."
Analysts estimate the portion for Salt Lake City residents to reach $6 million, but say it could have been double. Midway through the session, they feared it would balloon to $12 million. Becker is calling on the governor for a veto.
But victories outweighed concessions.
As this year's drinking debate swirled around "alcopops" and "normalized" shots, city officials faced a much more ominous provision in the sprawling liquor-law bill that sailed through the Legislature.
Little-debated language in SB211, sponsored by Majority Leader Curtis Bramble, R-Provo, called for a tighter restriction on liquor permits near public parks and libraries. In addition to the 600 "pedestrian feet" distance ban, the bill added a serving prohibition within a "straight line" of 200 feet.
Under the new rule, a host of new bars and downtown eateries, along with any new development in Sugar House near the Sprague Library could have been rendered dry.
But after weeks of work, the city's lobbying team managed to get the bill amended to get an alcohol variance.
"I got the sense that legislators are really tired of having a negative relationship with us," said Ben McAdams, a Mormon lawyer who cut his teeth in the communications camp of the Clinton Administration, and spent his first stint as the capital's legislative liaison.
"We tried to be transparent and work on the surface. Next year, we can have a proactive agenda, not a reactive agenda."
Becker and Co. also negotiated, with City Council members at his side, a tactic designed to show a united front. It appeared to work.
A bill that would have overturned a new city ordinance designed to protect the city's riparian corridor near streams and waterways was shelved. And, on the last day, a revenue stream was restored for the city's $35 million portion of the airport TRAX line. That money was to come from airport surplus, but was diverted back to Delta Air Lines.
"Mayor Becker set the standard for diplomacy and exemplified how you work out issues," Love added. "We had a seat at the table to negotiate all of the important pieces of legislation."
The city's lawyers - the mayor is one as well - especially practiced patience with the domestic-partner registry. Following the blowup with Sen. Chris Buttars' racial remarks, the team quietly worked with sponsoring Sen. Greg Bell to find a compromise.
Becker maintains the Legislature didn't go out of its way "to hurt us or to help us," but says capital residents benefited in the end.
"We came in with a different attitude and in good faith, believing that common ground can be found on most issues," Becker said. "The final outcome shows this approach served Salt Lake City very well."
