Fund transit projects with tax

Few things are more important than keeping faith with voters. And in the case of Proposition 3, the tax increase approved by about 64 percent of Salt Lake County voters, there is plenty of evidence to show they believed the bulk of the money would go toward expanding TRAX and building commuter rail.

But Salt Lake County and local mayors have had trouble getting state lawmakers to approve a process for making the final decision as to which projects get funding. Some county leaders believe this is because some lawmakers would rather the money went toward road construction than transit.

This much needs to be clear: Voters want more transit, and any scheme that puts roads ahead of that desire should be seen as a dereliction of public trust.

A Dan Jones & Associates poll conducted after the election for the Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV found that 66 percent of county residents want the money to go toward transit. Even though the poll has a rather large margin of error (7.75 percent), that still represents at least a clear majority. It may in fact represent a majority of more than 70 percent.

Also, this newspaper recently asked readers to say whether they felt the money should go toward roads or transit. With only one exception, all the respondents favored transit.

The law specifies that a quarter of the money must go toward the purchase of land for future roads. Beyond that, however, local county and city leaders are supposed to decide where the rest of it goes, with approval from legislators.

Salt Lake County residents already have demonstrated their approval of TRAX. The two lines in service have exceeded ridership projections, and the leaders of many other cities have wondered how they could expedite the construction of lines to their residents. Proposition 3 was the answer to that question. It imposes a relatively large tax increase — costing residents an average of $104 per year — but was sold as a way to speed construction of four new TRAX lines.

One county councilman has said he feels only two of those lines now are a sure thing. The other two may not happen if lawmakers prefer roads over transit.

That would be more than a disappointment. For many voters, it could rightfully be a source of anger.