Salt Lake County mayors back vote on TRAX tax hike

Salt Lake County mayors are onboard with a proposal to let the public vote for a property-tax hike this fall to pay for TRAX expansion.

The county Council of Governments (COG) approved a resolution Thursday urging the Salt Lake County Council to put a proposition on the November ballot allowing residents to vote on a property-tax increase, which would cost about $95 a year on a $180,000 home.

The tax hike would allow the county to obtain a 30-year bond to help pay for four TRAX extensions, including three on the county's west side and one that would extend south to Draper.

The resolution is contingent on a review of whether the bond for TRAX would affect the county's Triple-A bond rating. The county's debt-review committee is expected to release a review's findings next week.

"This is a big gamble, but I think the people of Salt Lake County have found light rail to be a tool that improves their ability to move," said Midvale Mayor JoAnn Seghini, who presented the resolution.

While the approval was unanimous, some COG members said they were concerned about using property taxes to fund TRAX expansion. Cottonwood Heights Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore suggested that the Council of Governments recommend two questions be put on the ballot: an item asking residents whether they supported TRAX expansion and one on a specific way to fund the TRAX expansion.

If the property-tax hike question fails this fall, the Utah Transit Authority and others could go to the Legislature next year to get approval for a possible sales-tax hike, Cullimore said.

Other mayors said they would rather allow the public to vote for expansion. "I would rather risk educating voters than the Legislature," said West Valley Mayor Dennis Nordfelt.

As for UTA, the next step is to get the county to put the TRAX expansion proposal on the November ballot. John Inglish, UTA general manager said the COG's vote is a "significant step forward in the commitment" to do that.

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