He ducked in and out of discussions but, as mayor-elect, was simply a spectator.

Six months later, plenty has changed.

On Tuesday, Corroon unveiled sweeping spending changes during his first crack at the county spreadsheet.

His recommended midyear budget adjustments include the return of $10 million from the fleet fund to the divisions and programs that overpaid for county cars. (An additional $10 million in vehicle reserves could be shifted by next month.) The mayor also wants to slash $4 million from fleet's operating budget and slice 12 jobs from the much-maligned vehicle operation.

A fourth county department - Administrative Services - soon will serve as an umbrella over the scandal-ridden fleet and personnel divisions to tighten fiscal oversight.

Signaling a philosophy change, the Democratic mayor also aims to inject $2 million annually for substance-abuse treatment, jail-diversion programs and criminal-justice reform.

The idea is to open a day reporting center for hundreds of drug offenders, which will house non-threatening misdemeanants currently clogging the county jail. Calling it an investment Salt Lake County "must make," Corroon's preference for a drug-treatment center likely kills any chance of reopening Oxbow Jail, a request made by Republican Sheriff Aaron Kennard.

"The goal is to get people out of the jail that don't pose a threat to the community," says Corroon's chief administrative officer, Doug Willmore. "Right now, we have hundreds of people that fit that criterion."

Willmore says the new administration is proposing "more changes than normal" because "we weren't a part of the budget [last] November." He adds Corroon came into office with no allegiances on the back of $100 donations, and "doesn't owe anybody anything."

Corroon says county officials still face difficult choices but do so with a "sunny forecast."

The future certainly is bright for the general fund. The Auditor's Office revealed Tuesday that the surplus tops $43 million, $6.4 million heftier than previously reported.

"Sales tax grew phenomenally in 2004," says county budget boss Lance Brown.

Meanwhile, extra money in municipal services - the county's budget for unincorporated areas - hovers near $22 million.

All these books in the black may spell big changes for county libraries. Beginning with the new branches in Riverton and South Jordan, Corroon is calling for $1.25 million to accelerate the self check-out system, sometimes compared to do-it-yourself lanes in grocery stores. The one-time expense eventually will bring the system to all 20 county libraries.

On the law-enforcement front, the mayor has penciled $125,000 for security at the county's Justice Court, $50,000 for education to eradicate gun violence and $40,000 for the sheriff's neighborhood narcotics team.

All the midyear expenditures ultimately will be decided by County Council members, who will huddle next week for a budget workshop.

The reallocation of $10 million in fleet money - the department "had been overcharging, basically," explains Chief Financial Officer Linda Hamilton - will be spread among county operations.

Willmore notes even more car savings could come if officials overhaul the controversial Rapid Rotation Program. The program currently swaps vehicles after roughly 18 months. That time could be extended to three or four years for non-sheriff's vehicles. The rotation system had been championed by Fleet Director Nick Morgan, who was fired last Friday but plans to appeal his ouster.

Corroon says the county is in the process of rebuilding the public's trust, "and we are well on the way to succeeding."

djensen@sltrib.com

Corroon's budget highlights

Spend $2 million for a drug-treatment center, jail-diversion programs for substance abusers and criminal-justice reforms for drug crimes.

Refund $10 million from the fleet surplus to the county operations that paid into the fund.

Reduce expenses by a total $11.5 million between the Fleet Division, Municipal Services Fund and Solid Waste Management.

Pour $1.25 million into the county's 20 library branches to add a self check-out system.

Deny the sheriff's $1.7 million budget request to reopen Oxbow Jail.

Lower the solid waste fund by $6 million.