"I thought it was important to make the governor aware that there is a value and a purpose to having those RDA dollars there," Snarr said. "There is a timeliness, and there are windows of opportunity. If you don't avail yourself, those opportunities pass you by and go elsewhere."

One of those opportunities Murray may miss due to the RDA bill is a Major League Soccer stadium being recruited by both Murray and Salt Lake. Although Murray leaders never intended to give free land to a Real Salt Lake arena, they did hope to use RDA funds for infrastructure around the stadium.

Lincoln Shurtz, legislative coordinator for the League of Cities and Towns, wasn't surprised with the requests for a veto. Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey were most openly opposed to the bill, he said.

Ogden was seeking to use RDA funds for a proposed Wal-Mart development, while Salt Lake City wanted to use RDA money for a soccer stadium.

"Mayor Godfrey was rather outspoken in his opposition to the bill when he was on Capitol Hill," Bramble said. "He has declared his intent to condemn houses and seize them so he can give them to Wal-Mart."

Leaders in other cities have been less vocal in their opposition to the RDA bill after reaching the final compromise with Bramble.

In Midvale, City Administrator Lee King said officials opted not to ask the governor for a veto, even though they "don't think the legislation itself is appropriate."

King worked with Bramble throughout the legislative session to reach a compromise on the final version of the bill. King said he and leaders from other cities consented to the one-year moratorium on retail RDAs in exchange for taking out a provision that would have banned all such RDAs indefinitely.

That measure would have jeopardized projects at the city's two Superfund sites, which are being developed for retail using RDA funds.

"I'm not going to say we were happy with it; it was a compromise that was acceptable to us," King said. "We feel it would be awkward for us now after he agreed to take things out to ask the governor to veto that. It would be a move of bad faith."

Sandy city leaders also declined to actively oppose the legislation after reaching the compromise with Bramble. City officials even decided to hold off on an RDA area on the city's gravel pit to honor the compromise.

Shurtz said more cities may join in asking Huntsman to veto SB184. The deadline to veto or sign bills into law is Tuesday.

Huntsman said he was "thinking through all the implications" of Bramble's legislation and noted there were significant issues regarding eminent domain and how tax dollars are funneled to public education.

Bramble said he would be surprised if Huntsman shot down the bill.

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E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com, estewart@desnews.com