Deseret News | Another $2.5 billion in sales tax for UTA?

Reader comments
Another $2.5 billion in sales tax for UTA?

rj | 6:33 a.m. Oct. 13, 2007

Welcome to government operated transportation. They're always great ideas that end up costing way, way more than expected. And if the additional funding is received, UTA has no reason not to ask for more dollars, and the cycle continues. UTA does not operate like a regular business does, where higher demand drives capital expenditures; no, UTA has money in the bank and looks around for "where can we expand our lines", and the losses continue.

In the 1980s dozens of empty buses drove around Provo and Orem for years, damaging streets, polluting the air, and destroying the peace and quiet of neighborhoods with their loug, obnoxious buses.

Someone please so "NO", enough is enough.

Andrea | 7:11 a.m. Oct. 13, 2007

This is just a charade. Everyone knew upfront that the tax increase was permanent. UTA and the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce want to raise UTA's sales tax to a full one percent AT LEAST. Therefore, if even more sales tax increases are in store, why would the most recent tax increase be temporary?

They must think we are all stoopid.

Kent McDonald | 8:25 a.m. Oct. 13, 2007

First they take away bus service to most of the valley and require people to walk miles to get to either trax or park and rides and now they want more money.

Comments continue below

RAF | 8:56 a.m. Oct. 13, 2007

Do UTA officials really believe that residents are idiots?

UTA either knew from the start that they would be back asking for more time and money and are being dishonest now, or else they didnt know what they were talking about in the beginning.

Either way, they should be told NO NO NO, and fired and new leaders hired who won't be deliberately disingenuous and who are competent.

Some of us are really tired of politicians and public agency leaders who think that it is okay to continually and endlessly stick their pork barrel snouts in the public troughs or to pick the pockets of taxpayers whenever they have a project that they dream of bringing to fruition to enhance their own personal egos or place in local history.

John | 9:44 a.m. Oct. 13, 2007

What a shock....

UTA is an overpriced piece of junk for the overwhelming majority of the valley.

Anonymous | 9:56 a.m. Oct. 13, 2007

The loser will always be the taxpayer in this sort of thing. The winner will be the employees of the transit system with their high pay, lavish benefits while working, and retirement benifits that befit the US Senate.

Bill | 10:37 a.m. Oct. 13, 2007

And now Draper wants to change the route that has all ready been paid for. How much more will that change increase taxes to purchase a new route? Probably something the people in Draper haven't thought about. For the group that keeps fighting the existing route it is all "me, me, me."

Lave | 10:59 a.m. Oct. 13, 2007

Easy answer. Lets stop funding UTA and go ahead and spend 100 times more to build roads so every one can drive to the gas station and buy gas as well as bottled air.

Barrett | 11:10 a.m. Oct. 13, 2007

No more rail!
It's a waste of money!
Build more freeways!

shemtheo | 11:12 a.m. Oct. 13, 2007

Funding for public transportation should come from raising vehicle registration fees. Americans have got to over the misguided idea that driving a car everywhere is every individuals sacred right. The traffic and polution caused by those who choose to drive are major social and environmental problems and the financial burden for helping to solve these problems through public transportation and other avenues should be placed squarely on their shoulders. In Japan to registar your vehicle can cost as much as $1,500 to even $3,000 for two years depending the kind of vehicle. It sounds expensive but when you consider that Americans typically spend $300 to $800 a month on car payments, car insurance and gas; an extra $63 to $125 a month isn't as absurd as one might think. Such registration fees could easily fund expansive public transportation projects and would help ensure that more and more drivers would give up their cars and use the public transit. It would also increase the value of land around public transit stations as more people are drawn to live closer to these transportation hubs.

Bill | 11:17 a.m. Oct. 13, 2007

I think UTA's Trax is a wonderful thing, especially since Salt Lake City's useless mayor has been stealing traffic lanes all over the city for bicycles and expensive planters (e.g., 7th East).

But I know I'm not the only one who cringes and rolls my eyes when we see huge buses rumbling up and down our streets empty. Small buses would suffice much of the time. Those long monsters with accordian seams in the middle are useful only about 20 hours a year.

The airline industry has learned to fly more flights with smaller planes. UTA's approach seems to be to clog the streets with more huge empty buses.

Lave | 11:18 a.m. Oct. 13, 2007

Anonymous. If you think $12.00 per hour is excessive pay then you need to wake up to reality. The private contractor who build the rail system are the one that are over paid. Can you say spell checker?

Craig | 11:25 a.m. Oct. 13, 2007

UTA is doing business like the sub-prime mortage people failing to disclose actual intent. Give them the 50 years but have a trigger that it stops immediatly if hard operational deadlines are not met.

Peter Griffin | 11:26 a.m. Oct. 13, 2007

Frankly, UTA is a joke. It's time to let the Priavte sector take over. This isn't New York City, where millions use public transit everyday and it makes sense to invest tax dollars- This is Salt Lake City. Quit trying to build the system of someone's dream with my money. This is ridiculous.

Stenar | 12:41 p.m. Oct. 13, 2007

I think we should raise taxes even higher for UTA. It's time America subsidized mass transit the way it has subsidized the automobile for the past 70 years.

Doug | 3:16 p.m. Oct. 13, 2007

UTA, NEA. UEA. USA...all have something in common...they love to see tax dollars come their way without providing adequate service. Come on you who think the public can't see what is happening. Stop asking for so much and giving so little back. We should all say NO, NO, No more.

NO MORE TAXES | 5:50 p.m. Oct. 13, 2007

Just stop using the uta system altogether and it will shut down in a month. Then, there will be no need for increased government rip-offs.

TO NO MORE TAXES | 7:25 p.m. Oct. 13, 2007

Right, then what do people who don't own a car do? Oh, wait since you have one, and it's all about YOU, that doesn't matter, huh?

NO MORE TAXES | 7:59 p.m. Oct. 13, 2007

No, I don't have a car, I have four cars.

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