For the first time, the council voted to adopt an admissions policy at the Salt Lake County jail that will refuse prisoners for class C misdemeanors; class B misdemeanors for traffic offenses, except DUI; and felony commitments longer than one year.

The vote was unanimous.

The move will allow the county to reduce the jail by 150 beds by Jan. 1 and another 150 by July 1. It is expected to save millions of dollars a year.

The council complained of sentences handed down by judges for minor infractions and state prisoners who are assigned to the county jail at a cost of $70 a day when reimbursement from Utah is only $23.

"For the first time in the history of the jail, we are taking control and determining who uses it and who doesn't," said Councilman Randy Horiuchi. "That is historic."

The plan will save an estimated $2.1 million in 2006.

"It's not just the money," said Horiuchi. "We are sending an alarm to the judiciary that they can no longer use the jail as a timeout for people who don't pay their fines or who are arrested for not using their seat belts. They are going to have to use the jail for criminals."

After a spirited back and forth between Republicans and Democrats, the council also set the stage for a 10 percent increase for sheriff's patrol officers.

By a unanimous vote, the council endorsed a compromise in which Salt Lake County sheriff's deputies ranking below sergeant will get a 5.5 percent increase on top of a 2 percent cost-of-living increase and possible 2.5 percent merit increase.

According to a preliminary budget for 2006, all Salt Lake County employees will get a 2 percent cost-of-living increase. And all county staffers are eligible for up to 2.5 percent in merit increases. The final budget will be passed in December and will take effect Jan. 1.

Sergeants serving under the sheriff will receive an additional 2.75 percent - half the increase given to patrolmen.

"That is not what I wanted," said Sheriff Aaron Kennard following the vote. "But the sergeants weren't going to kill the deal. The sergeants deserve it, too. I will try to make them whole in June [budget adjustments]."

The sheriff conceded that the council had legitimate concerns about how the raises might affect the proposed United Police District, which would include the municipalities of Cottonwood Heights, Holladay, Bluffdale, Riverton and Herriman. It also would encompass the unincorporated areas of Kearns, Magna, Millcreek and White City.

Republican Councilman Mark Crockett said he feared that if Salt Lake County were to increase salaries of deputies by too much, those same cities that now contract with the sheriff's office would bolt from the Unified Police District proposal.

"I'm nervous about doing more because the issue today is to maximize the chance that the UPD happens," Crockett said.

He made a motion to give sergeants and patrolmen a 2.75 percent increase on top of the cost-of-living and merit increases.

But Democratic Councilman Jim Bradley argued for more, saying that the deputies were woefully underpaid.

"We should look exclusively at what type of police department we want in Salt Lake County now, not next year. It's not fair to the deputies."

Bradley proposed raising sergeants and patrolmen 5.5 percent above the cost-of-living and merit increases.

Crockett then proposed the compromise that would give patrolmen 5.5 percent and sergeants 2.75 percent.

It will costs taxpayers about $850,000 a year.