From Deseret News archives:
Northern Utah counties mull 0.25% sales-tax hike
If placed on ballots and approved by voters, the .25 percent increase for transportation and transit would bring in $8.5 million to $10 million during the first year for Weber County and about $800,000 for Brigham City, Perry and Willard in Box Elder County.
In Weber County, that money could be used for a variety of projects, including improvements for Hinckley Drive (about 31st Street) near West Haven and 12th Street west of Marriott-Slaterville. Plain City's 2700 North eventually needs to be extended west.
Eventually, officials in Davis and Weber counties would like to see an extension of the Legacy Parkway stretch from Farmington to the western part of Davis County and northward to the Box Elder County line.
In southern Box Elder County, the desire is simple: commuter rail, sooner than later.
Brigham City Council member Reese Jensen said commuter rail isn't slated to reach Box Elder County until 2030 — when I-15 and U.S. 89 are expected to exceed capacity.
Perry city administrator Duncan Murray said that's way too late.
"It's like giving CPR to somebody after they're dead," Murray said.
"That's the reason we're pushing for it," Jensen said. "We definitely need it before 2030."
If the three cities can get enough money together to offset construction costs, commuter rail could reach them from Pleasant View, where the line is currently set to terminate, by 2015, Jensen said.
The Brigham City Council unanimously approved the ballot measure Thursday, and Weber County commissioners are expected to approve the ballot measure today.
Perry and Willard city councils are expected to discuss the measure during council meetings this week.
In 2006 the Utah Legislature gave counties the ability to put the .25 percent tax increase to a vote, which Salt Lake County promptly did, gaining voter support during the November 2006 election. In Salt Lake County, three-fourths of a cent in sales tax goes toward transportation and transit.
Utah County voters approved a similar measure in November, bringing that county's portion of sales tax for transportation and transit to .5 percent.
On June 12, the Davis County Board of Commissioners, with the unanimous support of the Davis County Council of Governments and Davis Chamber of Commerce, placed a .25 percent sales-tax increase on the ballot for Davis voters this year.
Weber County's commissioners have similar backing.
South Ogden Mayor George Garwood, chairman of the Weber Area Council of Governments, said Weber County's 15 mayors support the measure going to a vote in November.
