He may not say it aloud, but it's written all over the Democratic councilman - well, at least on the back of his Utah Jazz jersey.

Sporting sneakers and a basketball uniform, Horiuchi kicked off his re-election campaign with the catchphrase, "Horiuchi: He's got game."

But perhaps the candidate should have chosen a different jersey. His less-sports-minded constituents might not realize that "Boozer" actually refers to Utah Jazz star forward Carlos Boozer and not to a drinking habit.

Horiuchi smiled and said it was the only Jazz jersey that would fit.

"I love Boozer," the councilman said. "He brings it every night. But [the uniform pick] is because his jersey was the biggest one I could get."

As the (D.A.'s) world turns

Salt Lake County District Attorney Lohra Miller continues to stir the personnel pot in the prosecutors' office.

The Republican district attorney has axed veteran prosecutor and former political rival Kent Morgan - he's fighting the firing - adding to a string of departures during Miller's yearlong tenure.

So how many employees have exited?

The District Attorney's Office shed 35 personnel last year, according to employee-turnover reports obtained through a records request. That exodus - which accounted for 16 percent of Miller's total staff - included 13 prosecutors, three civil attorneys, three office managers, a chief legal investigator, a unit chief and several other positions.

In the district attorney's defense, the numbers aren't much higher (by percentage) than other county departments.

The sheriff's office kept its employee turnover below 10 percent. But the health department lost 12 percent, libraries 16 percent and youth services 14.5 percent.

Still, the district attorney's office churns faster than the countywide average of 11.7 percent. And, by the looks of it, that churning hasn't stopped.

Babes in Toyland?

Now that Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker has escaped the Legislature with his domestic-partnership registry intact (except a name change), the freshman mayor gets the last laugh.

But plenty of critics wondered why Becker didn't wait until mid-March, when lawmakers mercifully go home for nine months. Indeed the registry, which dodged a dart by two votes on the final day, may have been doomed without the meltdown by Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan.

None of this was lost on Salt Lake County Councilman Joe Hatch, who predicted the registry is the kind of "red meat" that makes lawmakers pounce.

"How long has he been up there?" Hatch asked rhetorically about Becker. "If you reach your hand out with some of these right-wing wackos, you better count your fingers. For him to be up there that long and not understand that - it's 'Babes in Toyland' stuff."

But with a combination of luck and legislative savvy, Becker avoided an ambush.

Delta's lofty friends

pay dividends

As the Legislature landed its 2008 ship late Wednesday, lawmakers steered $35 million - Salt Lake City hoped to use the cash for the airport TRAX route - back to Delta Air Lines.

But they also plucked $2 from the vehicle-registration fee for the capital to cover the cost of the light-rail line.

Still, Salt Lake County Councilman Joe Hatch sees a maneuver, not magnanimity.

"Isn't that wonderful," he lamented Wednesday. "For $50,000 to $60,000 in campaign contributions to key senators, Delta gets a $35 million tax break. It just makes you want to throw up."

Revved, Hatch complained such deals too often are greased.

"It just goes on all the time, and the people of the state allow it," he added. "It's really, really sad."

Or business as usual.

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