A bill to restructure the Utah Transit Authority and give the agency's local tax dollars to the state resurfaced Wednesday during interim legislative meetings at the Capitol.

The discussion followed comments from residents upset about a redesign of UTA's bus system in Salt Lake County, and a planned systemwide fare increase. A public comment period about the redesign and fare increases ended last month, and UTA is now reviewing comments and making changes to both proposals.

UTA plans to update its board of trustees about the changes next Wednesday and will then update different interest groups. The redesign will be implemented in August and the fare increases go into effect in July.

"We're not asking for a handout, we're asking for a hand up," Ricki Landers, a West Valley resident said Wednesday to members of the Transportation Interim Committee. "It's not fair."

After hearing comments from residents, Rep. Steve Clark, R-Provo, asked UTA what the agency has done to accommodate concerns about the redesign. UTA attorney Bruce Jones said the agency has held several public meetings about the changes, and would welcome a legislative review about its processes.

As for the bill to restructure the agency, UTA officials said they plan to meet with the bill's sponsor, Rep. Wayne Harper, R-West Jordan, over the summer to answer any questions, with the aim of having him revise the bill.

Harper introduced the bill during the 2007 General Legislative Session, where it was recommended for study during the interim. The bill would dissolve UTA, put its local funding into the state's general fund, and give the Utah Department of Transportation control of buses and TRAX. The measure is not intended as an attack on UTA, Harper said.

"I've made it perfectly clear that this is to look at the management of the two largest transportation agencies in the state," Harper said. "Over the summer, we will continue dialogue, but I can't tell you what the outcome will be."

Harper said he is hopeful that discussions with UTA over the summer will help determine how accountable the agency is, how well it uses its revenues, and whether tax dollars are appropriately spent on transit.

Jones said UTA welcomes the conversation, but the bill, as currently written, may cost the state millions of dollars. UTA said a major restructuring could delay about $2 billion in TRAX and commuter-rail projects.

"I believe very strongly that you will not find a more cost-effective way to move people on transit than is currently there," said Orrin T. Colby Jr., president of the UTA Board of Trustees. "If part of the goal is to reduce costs, we are in that way already."

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