A proposed monument to commemorate late Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller served as the soapbox Tuesday from which Salt Lake County Councilman Joe Hatch scolded Mayor Peter Corroon.
Using words like "despicable" and "disgusting" to describe Corroon's tactics, the council chairman slapped his fellow Democrat for playing budget games with a $5,000 county donation to pay tribute to Miller on the south end of the EnergySolutions Arena plaza.
It's not that Hatch opposed the memorial or the county's participation in it -- he ultimately voted for a donation, along with all his council colleagues. But he accused the mayor of offering $5,000 as a minimum contribution to get the county's name on the marker, then requesting half the money from the council's discretionary fund to make the sum easier to swallow.
"Larry Miller should be honored," Hatch said. "We should do something. But we shouldn't do it in this grotesque manner, especially after we have been lectured by the Mayor's Office about fiscal responsibility."
Corroon characterized Hatch's claims as "totally nonsense," saying his only intent was to honor a community leader.
The flap reflects a lingering rift between the Democratic chairman and the Democratic mayor, which came to loggerheads last month over how to mend the county's recession-bruised budget.
The Democrat-led council urged a slight uptick in property taxes, while Corroon insisted on spending cuts deep enough that they might cancel the 2010 county fair and shut down some recreation centers on Sundays.
The dispute culminated in the mayor's first-ever veto.
Rather than sour grapes, Hatch says his criticism stems from his determination to hold Corroon to the same "high standard" of budgeting the mayor demanded of the council.
As for the mayor, he disputes that the county's contribution had anything to do with having its name etched in a plaque.
"I don't care if we do or don't [get credit]," Corroon said. "What is important is that Larry Miller is remembered and recognized."
The donation ultimately was split between the mayor and council, he added, because the mayor's budget for community contributions was unable to cover the cost. After chipping in its $2,500 share, the mayor's donation fund will have a balance of less than $900.
