If there is anything close to a sure thing on November's ballot, the proposal to renew Salt Lake County's Zoo, Arts & Parks tax is it.

In a new Deseret Morning News/KSL-TV poll, a large majority of respondents — 75 percent — said they would vote to renew the ZAP tax, with only 18 percent opposed.

That exceeds even county Community and Support Services director Leslie Workman's optimistic prediction two months ago that 70 percent of voters would punch "yes" to County Proposal No. 1, asking if voters want to reauthorize the 1/10th of 1 percent sales tax that partially or wholly funds Hogle Zoo, county parks, fitness centers, Utah Symphony & Opera, Ballet West and dozens of smaller arts and cultural organizations.

The tax raises about $15 million per year.

"For a small price you get a lot of cool stuff," said consultant Carter Livingston, who has been hired to run the reauthorization campaign.

While ZAP probably comes closer to proving the oxymoron "popular tax" than any other tax, there is opposition to it. Some private fitness and recreation providers have complained that public operation of fitness facilities using tax dollars constitutes unfair competition, and the Utah Taxpayers Association is on record as opposing taxes that are collected and distributed for specific purposes.

The association prefers that taxes go into a general fund to be distributed according to need.

After an unsuccessful authorization attempt in 1993, voters approved the ZAP tax in 1996 for a 10-year run beginning Jan. 1, 1997. The tax will die a natural death at the end of 2006 unless voters reauthorize it before then.

Private donors have contributed a total of $386,000 toward the reauthorization campaign, according to finance disclosures filed last week, of which more than $200,000 remains.

"We've saved the bulk of our money for this last little bit . . . ," Livingston said. "We look forward to talking about all the great things that have happened in this county to families, seniors and kids" because of the tax.

The tax's enduring popularity — a poll last year came back with almost identical numbers to the current one — is certainly due in part to its purpose: helping people have fun. What's more, support of the tax may be receiving an additional boost from the controversies swirling around county government.

"It's nice to have something on the ballot that's positive, with all the negativity in the air," Livingston said.

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E-mail: aedwards@desnews.com