Mayor Ralph Becker seems determined to break out of the shadow of predecessor over-the-top Rocky by forging his own legacy as Mayor Killjoy.

At Ralph's prompting Salt Lake City will begin billing parades, festivals, races and other events that smack of fun for any extra city services. From the Days of '47 hoopla to the gay Pride Parade, nearly everyone is getting nailed with higher fees.

Arts Festival director Lisa Sewell, who will face steeply increased costs at the hugely popular event at Library Square, points out the obvious economic benefits to having a lively city:

We bring in an influx of 80,000 people over four days into the downtown area. There needs to be a little bit of a middle ground and recognizing what makes a community vibrant and alive.