First black female mayor in Utah elected

SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- A city councilwoman in Saratoga Springs, a 12-year-old fast-growing city in Utah, has been elected the first black female mayor in the state.

When she takes office, Mia Love will be the city's second mayor, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. Saratoga Springs was incorporated in 1997 and has grown from just over 1,000 residents in the 2000 Census to an estimated 11,570 in 2007.

"I am absolutely honored," Love said. "I am so excited."

In her race against Jeff Francom, a financial planner, Love said she would encourage the growth of industry and commerce in Saratoga Springs without destroying its quality of life. She said her experience on the council during a budget crisis would be valuable.

Francom said the city needs a more diverse tax base to be less dependent on residential property taxes.

Both Saratoga Springs and Utah are overwhelmingly white, with blacks accounting for about 1 percent of the population.