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Rocky Anderson is taking on the state establishment and apparently defying predictions - that were reality until recently - that he would be a mellower mayor in his second term.

In other words, Rocky's back.

The Salt Lake City mayor held a news conference Thursday and threw down the proverbial gauntlet - some viewed it as a grenade - asking state lawmakers to change a handful of laws he says impede economic development and Utahns' personal freedoms.

He was flanked by people who offered personal stories to highlight the policies in question. A restaurant owner told of being cited when four patrons danced past 2 a.m. A lesbian holding a baby shared how she has no legal ties to her partner's child. A private club owner relayed how some parts of the liquor laws confuse and anger visitors.

"We are calling for an end to restrictive, ill-conceived public policies, as well as an end to those that are overly permissive to the point of harming public safety and security," Anderson said on the steps of City Hall.

The mayor's supporters view him as courageous.

"It's him seeing he should use his pulpit to do what's right," said Karrie Galloway, director of Planned Parenthood of Utah, who spoke on one of the freedoms Anderson called for - to teach students about how to avoid pregnancy and prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

But others wonder if Anderson, after publicly criticizing lawmakers, can really expect to change their minds.

City Councilman Dave Buhler, who wasn't at the news conference, said he wants to ax the $50,000 the council recently approved for the city to hire a legislative lobbyist. "If he's going to attack the Legislature, we shouldn't kid ourselves to think we can pay a few thousand dollars to lobby and fix what he's done."

Anderson painted a picture of a backward Legislature. He called its gun policies "misguided," said it "refuses to step into the 21st century

its liquor laws, and referred to legislators who "have their heads in the sand

its abstinence-only sex education.

Tired of the image of Utah as a "wacko, repressed place," Anderson said the changes he's outlined will bring in more tourists, conventions and businesses.

And while religion wasn't part of Anderson's speech, the values of the predominant Mormon faith in Utah are seen as guiding much of what happens on Capitol Hill. About 70 percent of lawmakers are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The LDS Church hasn't taken specific stands on much of what Anderson discussed Thursday. But its members aren't supposed to drink alcohol, and the church opposes gay marriage. On the other hand, it supports banning guns from churches, as does the mayor, and its members don't smoke. Anderson wants to ban smoking from public places.

Anderson's detractors didn't label him anti-Mormon, but said his message will "cement" the religious divide that was evident during the 2003 mayor election when Mormons overwhelmingly voted against Anderson.

"It would be nice if the mayor were using his office to try to bring people together, rather than using the office as a platform for a number of views that aren't necessarily city issues," Buhler said.

Anderson said he doesn't only represent the views of people who aren't Mormon. And he countered that this discussion furthers his stated goals of healing the city's Mormon/non-Mormon religious divide. "Free agency is at the core of [the] LDS religion. As long as it's not interfering with the rights or interests of other people, government ought to leave us alone. I'm saying, 'Embrace everybody. Respect the rights of everybody - LDS and those who are not of the faith alike.'

Some questioned Anderson's role as a mayor in talking about state issues. The City Council can address one of his beefs by allowing dancing after 2 a.m. Council members say they are waiting for Anderson to bring them a new ordinance.

"When he does go outside of areas that he has authority to, he certainly runs the risk of not advancing the interests of Salt Lake City if he alienates the Legislature," said Councilman Dale Lambert.

Lambert suggested Anderson could make a difference by gathering support from lawmakers willing to sponsor legislation on the individual issues. "If his proposal is to try to make changes on some of these issues, this was not the best way to do it."

Utah politics is known more for back-room dealings, not in-your-face denouncements. Anderson acknowledged he will be viewed as confrontational, but he said this is his way of talking with lawmakers. "There's this sort of passive-aggressiveness where people love to do things in the back room; they like to work out their deals. They like everything to be smoothed over. As soon as somebody comes along and rocks the boat a little bit, they get very upset, they take it very personally."

Rep. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said the Legislature knows better than the mayor. It is more reflective of the state's population, although Anderson disagrees. "I'm sure a lot of what he's saying is great," said Adams, who has sparred with the mayor in the past over Anderson's opposition to Legacy Highway. "I hope he doesn't go so far as to inflict his beliefs on everyone."

Thursday's news conference goes to the heart of the mayoral election last year, where the differences between Anderson and opponent Frank Pignanelli focused on management style. Pignanelli cast himself as a more effective politician because he said he is more conciliatory than combative.

"It's just another poke to get his supporters all riled up. Why go through the tedium of trying to bring jobs and families to the city when you can talk about these issues," Pignanelli said Thursday. "If he was really interested in making change, he would do it."

Anderson won the election. Soon after, his advisers said he would be kinder, and Anderson agreed. His started his second term out of the limelight and with little controversy. The lull lasted seven months.