Leaders push sales-tax increase for transportation in three northern Utah counties

FARMINGTON — Business leaders and elected officials from Davis, Weber and Box Elder counties kicked off a campaign today to get residents to vote for a quarter-cent sales-tax increase for transportation.

The tax increase will cost an average family about $104 per year, said Steve Handy, spokesman for the Northern Utah Transportation Alliance, during a press event in Farmington. He is hopeful residents will support the deal, and believes it will improve the economic viability of the three counties.

"This is the biggest 'no brainer' in the history of the Earth," Handy said with a smile.

But some mayors in southern Davis County wonder how the tax increase will benefit their constituents. Mayors of cities including Bountiful and North Salt Lake have said their residents are too close to Salt Lake City to benefit from new roads planned in the more congested northern part of Davis County.

Handy admitted that he is worried about how residents will view a suggested sales-tax increase, when their property taxes were just increased as result of high home valuations.

"It's going to be a challenge," he said.

In Weber and Davis counties, the money from the sales-tax increase could fund any of two dozen or more transportation projects, including purchasing land for a future extension of the Legacy Parkway, and improving I-15 interchanges. In Box Elder County, much of the money will be used to extend the FrontRunner commuter rail line to Brigham City.

If the increase is approved, Handy said residents in Davis and Weber counties may not know what specific transportation projects will be funded by the tax increase until after the election. By law, the Legislature must approve projects for funding, and that isn't likely to happen until after the election, he said.

From now until November, Handy and other supporters plan to raise at least $300,000 to promote the tax increase, pass out lawn signs and distribute mailers in support of the hike. For more information, log on to: www.nutrans.com.

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