Some Salt Lake County and west-side leaders worry that if this fall's ballot measure cannot promise ramped-up construction of four new TRAX lines, then none of those spurs may be built.
Why? Because voters might reject a funding scheme that doesn't deliver the additional light rail routes to West Valley City, West Jordan-South Jordan, Draper and Salt Lake City International Airport.
And House Speaker Greg Curtis concedes that a transportation bill crafted behind closed doors by Republican state lawmakers would make it virtually impossible to build all the TRAX lines by 2014.
The legislation - swapping plans for a property-tax boost in favor of a sales-tax hike - would steer 25 percent of the revenue to heavy commuter rail, thus jeopardizing TRAX.
"If there is that kind of mandate," County Councilman Joe Hatch said, "I can see this [ballot proposal] going down to defeat."
The frustration, complains County Councilman Randy Horiuchi, is that the proposal clouds the county's clear intent to bolster TRAX.
"The whole reason we got this ball started and got this on the ballot was to fund these lines," he said. "We wanted to show the voters what they'd get for their money."
Earlier this year, the council voted to place an $895 million property-tax question before voters with an expectation that the Legislature would elect to use sales tax instead.
That still appears likely - a special session is expected Tuesday - but a lobbying push by business groups worried about paying more property taxes and Utah County leaders who want a commuter line has muddied the road to new rail.
Natalie Gochnour, spokeswoman for the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, said the business association's "core priority in Salt Lake County is to have the four TRAX lines and commuter rail, but with the understanding we may not get it all."
The chamber always wanted the sales-tax revenues to be used for roads, too, she said. This summer, the chamber began lobbying for the sales tax to fund completion of the TRAX lines by 2014 rather than 2025 or 2030, as the Utah Transit Authority and the Wasatch Front Regional Council originally planned.
But both Curtis and UTA spokesman Justin Jones note the proposed quarter-cent sales tax increase would not provide enough revenue to do all four lines and commuter rail to Utah County by 2014.
"Everyone wants all of [the rail projects]," Jones said. "That's the challenge."
Sandy resident Steve Hammer acknowledges that a TRAX tug of war could erupt.
"The way they ought to do it is do a couple [of routes] at a time instead of doing all four at once," he said. "Of course, everybody in their area would want theirs built first."
Sacrificing any transit routes, particularly on the west side, would be a low blow, insists South Jordan Deputy City Manager Gary Whatcott.
"When we [the west-side cities] formed this coalition together, it was all about trying to get ahead of the game," said Whatcott, noting the west side was left out of earlier TRAX rounds. "Our concern is: We wouldn't want to see anything that would deter more public transportation out here. We have one of the highest growth areas in the state."
The sales-tax method would generate more money over the long term but may be divvied among TRAX, the Mountain View Corridor and commuter rail to Utah County.
In a June poll for The Salt Lake Tribune, 60 percent of Salt Lake County voters voiced support for an $895 million bond to pay for additional light-rail lines. If voters approve the sales-tax proposal, at least some of those routes would be built. But some worry a scaled-back TRAX could doom the measure.
John Inglish, general manger of UTA, fears that a plan to allow each county's Council of Governments to set the priority, may relegate TRAX to the bottom of the list.
Curtis doesn't share that concern, arguing that the councils should fund commuter rail and some light rail simultaneously to alleviate congestion and boost mobility across the Wasatch Front.
Plus, "over the life of 50 years, the sales tax generates more revenue," Curtis said.
West Valley City Mayor Dennis Nordfelt says he has "total confidence" that both the Legislature and each COG will settle on the right priorities.
Still, that may be a hard sell for county voters, says Hatch, who insists any plan that cuts out TRAX will face a "negative reaction" and could lose at the polls.
"If you ask the average mom with the minivan if she'd rather take a light rail line to downtown Salt Lake or to the airport versus using a car," County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson said, "they'd rather take light rail."
djensen@sltrib.com
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รค Salt Lake Tribune reporter PATTY HENETZ contributed to this story.
West-side worries:
"Our concern is: We wouldn't want to see anything that would deter more public transportation out here. We have one of the highest growth areas in the state."
GARY WHATCOTT
South Jordan Deputy City Manager
