A plan to expand TRAX using an $895 million bond initiative this November may be derailed by the Salt Lake County Council, according to council members.

The council is expected to vote on the plan during its regular meeting today. When asked if the entire $895 million tab would be put on the November ballot, council chairman Cort Ashton said, "Not a chance."

"I think that would be probably the worst blow we could deal to economic development in Salt Lake County," he said Monday. "To saddle taxpayers and property owners in this county who pay into this — to turn around and saddle them with this bill" isn't right.

Councilman Mark Crockett wants the county to bond for $100 million to buy land for future park-and-ride lots and TRAX stops. If the full $895 million is approved, other critical projects may go unfunded because the county's bonding capacity would be maxed out, Crockett said.

But supporters of the full $895 million bond say the county could lose millions by waiting to pay for TRAX expansion. UTA spokesman Justin Jones said Monday that waiting to get local dollars for TRAX means the agency would have to wait longer to get federal matching dollars for the projects.

Construction costs will also increase dramatically each year the county waits, he said.

"The faster we have our local money, the faster the federal process moves," said Jones. "I just hope the voters in Salt Lake County get to make the decision whether they want TRAX extensions or not."

The county has until mid-August to put a bonding plan on the ballot. The $895 million plan would cost county residents about $95 million a year in property taxes. The money would go to build four light-rail extensions to West Valley, South Jordan, Draper and to the Salt Lake City International Airport.

Mayors of cities that would benefit from the new TRAX lines also want the full bonding proposal approved. South Jordan Mayor Kent Money said council members should forget about politics and just allow voters to decide how to fund TRAX expansion.

"It's a plan that's needed, and hopefully they will not look at it as a political issue but look at it as an opportunity for the people to decide whether they're willing to sacrifice now — not only for the present but for the future," Money said.

West Valley Mayor Dennis Nordfelt said he would push for lawmakers to authorize the county to collect sales tax for expanding TRAX instead of property taxes, if the county approves the full bonding measure. Sales tax, he said, is a more palatable way to pay for expansion.

House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, has said in past interviews that he might support a special legislative session to allow Salt Lake County to use sales tax in lieu of the property tax to expand TRAX, but only if the council approved the property-tax hike first.

But Ashton said he wouldn't countenance that.

"I don't want to approve something with the hope the Legislature might call a special session," Ashton said. "Otherwise we're stuck with it."

---

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