In a discussion about the 2005 Legislature and potential bills that could affect the city, Buhler criticized Anderson for comments made during the mayor's State of the City speech.

In that talk, delivered Tuesday, Anderson had said he wanted Davis County residents to visit the city, but "we just don't want them to increase our city's traffic, further foul our air, undermine the quality of our lives, and make us sick simply because of the choices they make about where they live and how they get around."

Said Buhler to a stunned audience of City Council members and city employees: "In his zeal to advocate his heartfelt feelings, I don't think he took into account he was alienating many of the people [in the Legislature] we now look to for support.

"You should have known that," he said to the mayor, in light of the Legislature's previous attempts to punish the city after Anderson joined a lawsuit against the south Davis County segment of the Legacy Highway.

"Do you want me to make my speech now?" Anderson said, looking at Buhler and then proceeded to tick off a list of environmental problems he blames on lack of leadership by the state.

"I am not going to step down . . . because you and others are too cowardly to stand up to those who are going to seek to punish us."

Buhler then noted Davis County residents and leaders have been supportive of light rail in the capital and commuter rail throughout the valley.

"To suggest everybody who lives outside of the city is somehow evil if they drive into the city - if they drive alone - is wrong," the councilman said. "More than wrong, it hurts the very city" Anderson was elected to represent. "You're more than a crusader; you're elected to represent the city . . . not just pursue your own agenda."

Anderson then asked what Buhler or other council members had done to improve air quality.

The exchange may have been prompted by copies of an editorial and story in Ogden's daily newspaper, the Standard-Examiner, that every council member had received. A cartoon labels Davis County residents as Anderson's "whipping boys."

The editorial in the northern Utah paper referred to the mayor as "The Mouth that Roared," and said the mayor didn't understand the reality of high-priced land in the city that drove workers to the suburbs for affordable housing.

The opinion piece asked: "Is there no one in Salt Lake City government with the courage to tell this man his fevered ego has run right off the tracks?"

hmay@sltrib.com