County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday morning to put the proposed tax increase on the Nov. 7 ballot.
Utah Transit Authority spokesman Justin Jones praised the commissioners' "courageous vote," which comes six years after voters in Salt Lake, Davis and Weber counties approved similar hikes to upgrade bus and train transit.
Provo Mayor Lewis Billings also saluted the commissioners.
"It's hard to proposed a tax increase," he said. "You are going about it the right way. You are letting the people decide." If the voters sign off, commissioners plan to steer 87 percent of the tax money toward commuter rail, 8 percent toward roads and 5 percent to other transit services.
The heavy-rail commuter trains would bring welcome relief to congestion-clogged Interstate 15 in Utah's second most-populous county. The trains could be operational by 2012, but would more likely come on line between 2014 and 2015.
The first leg of commuter rail - being built from Ogden to Salt Lake City - is expected to open in late 2008.
