Political career
Peter Corroon was elected as the Salt Lake County Mayor in 2004. In November 2008, Corroon was re-elected to a second term as Salt Lake County Mayor over Republican challenger Michael Rencker. In January 2010, Corroon announced his candidacy for governor of the State of Utah to challenge incumbent Republican Gary Herbert. In May, he announced his running mate would be Republican State Representative Sheryl Allen creating a bi-partisan ticket for governor and lieutenant governor.
Mayoral Priorities and Accomplishments (2005–2013)
From 2005 to 2013, Corroon's administration focused on planning for future growth of Salt Lake County and the needs of the citizens His administration preserved thousands of acres of open space and park space for future growth. During his two terms as mayor, Salt Lake County also expanded child care facilities in its recreation centers, installed the largest rooftop solar project in the country at the time, created a no-kill policy for the county animal shelter, maintained a AAA bond rating, and worked with Salt Lake City and the State of Utah to reduce chronic homelessness by 72%.
Political Disputes
During his two terms as Mayor of Salt Lake County, Peter Corroon’s administration was marked by several public standoffs with the Salt Lake County Council and state legislative leaders regarding fiscal policy, development subsidies, and governance.
Real Salt Lake Stadium Funding Standoff
In 2006, Corroon opposed allocating $35 million in county hotel-tax revenues toward the construction of Rio Tinto Stadium for Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake in Sandy. Corroon argued that the financial projections presented by team ownership were overly optimistic and posed an unnecessary financial risk to taxpayers. His stance put him in direct opposition to soccer club leadership, Sandy municipal officials, and state leaders, including Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. The standoff escalated until 2007, when the Utah State Legislature intervened by passing legislation that bypassed Corroon’s executive authority, redirecting the hotel tax revenue directly to the project.
2009 Budget Veto and Legal Standoff
Following the economic downturn of the 2008 financial crisis, the Salt Lake County Council approved a $5 million property tax increase to balance the county budget. Corroon vetoed the entire budget measure, arguing that the county should rely exclusively on deeper operational cuts rather than tax increases.
