Salt Lake County residents are split over a property-tax hike to pay for expansion of TRAX, according to a Utah Transit Authority poll.

The survey by Dan Jones and Associates comes as county leaders are considering a ballot referendum this fall to temporarily raise property taxes within the county an average of $96 per year. The money would go toward construction of four new TRAX lines.

But considering more residents oppose the tax hike than support it, it will take an education campaign by backers to get the public to buy off on the deal, according to pollster Jones.

The recent poll for UTA shows that about 40 percent of Salt Lake County residents could support a property-tax hike to expedite the construction of TRAX extensions. About 46 percent of the respondents were opposed; 14 percent were neutral.

A second question showed that 30 percent of respondees would support, in general, paying to build TRAX. It did not reference the $96 property tax hike.

The poll, which had a 5 percent margin of error, was unveiled Thursday during a meeting of the Wasatch Front Regional Council.

"The public really looks to community leaders as opinion molders," Jones said. "If you're going to do this and work with it, you've got to show how it's going to help them individually."

With current funding, UTA says it will take at least 25 years to complete expansion of TRAX into West Valley, South Jordan, Draper and to the airport. If voters agree to a property tax hike this year, all four extensions could be built within the next seven years, according to UTA general manager John Inglish.

The cost would be about $1.25 billion. About $175 million could possibly come from federal funds, said Inglish.

"In reality, we are going to get some federal funding," he said, "but if we accelerate construction, there is no way we could expect to get the same level of federal funding we've received" in the past.

"A significant part of these projects will have to be built with local funds."

The Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce has commissioned an independent study of need, cost and ways to fund the TRAX extensions. Based on the results of that study, the chamber will see what it can do to be "productive" in helping efforts for a ballot referendum this fall, said Natalie Gochnour, vice president of policy and communications for the chamber.

No action was taken Thursday by members of the council to support a ballot referendum this fall. In late 2004, however, the council came out in support of expediting the construction of TRAX extensions in Salt Lake County.

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E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com