UTA service cuts loom

Davis and Weber counties will lose at least $800,000 in transit service next year because elected officials failed to pass a sales tax hike to offset a revenue shortfall, the Utah Transit Authority said Wednesday.

As much as $3.8 million in service reductions — including cuts to FrontRunner commuter rail service — could occur if the two counties fail to pass the tax hike before the third quarter of next year, according to UTA.

The agency outlined the reductions during a Wednesday meeting of its Board of Trustees. The cuts were discussed because the two counties have yet to pass a 0.05 percent sales-tax increase to compensate for revenue lost from a reduction in the sales tax on food.

Officials from Davis and Weber counties said UTA had not communicated clearly what the "consequences" of not passing the tax would be, and the first they had heard of the cuts was in an e-mail late Tuesday.

"I apologize for any public chastisement as it may feel to the staff, but we feel like we were put in a bind and we were made aware of it at a late hour," Davis County Commissioner Brent Millburn said during Wednesday's board meeting.

No details were given for the $800,000 in cuts, but UTA says that reductions will happen for sure because the counties have missed a deadline to pass the tax increase and then have it reviewed by the State Tax Commission.

If the counties fail to pass the increase before the third quarter of this year, then as much as $3.8 million in cuts will be needed, according to UTA..

The board was presented with a scenario dealing with the possibility of $3.8 million in cuts. It called for commuter rail service to be eliminated on Saturdays through Davis and Weber counties, and also on weekdays after 7 p.m. The reduction would save UTA about $2 million, the agency said.

Another $1.5 million in cuts were presented for express bus and local routes through the counties, and $300,000 in reductions for paratransit service.

Justin Jones, UTA manager of government relations, said his agency plans to meet with Davis and Weber county commissioners before the December meeting of the UTA board to discuss the issue of service reductions. He said

he is confident the two counties will quickly pass the tax increase and significant cuts won't be needed.

"Meetings are ongoing and will continue to be ongoing," Jones said.

At least one discussion is planned for next Wednesday during a closed

meeting of a UTA board subcommittee. Davis and Weber officials said they are hopeful something could be resolved.

"We are very interested in moving ahead," Weber County commissioner Jan Zogmaister said. "We need to tell them yes or no."

The remaining four counties in UTA's service district have already passed tax hikes to offset lost revenues.