That's because the Legislature required the Executive Appropriations Committee to approve the way the county has decided to rank the projects to spell out which would get funded, but it won't do so during its Tuesday meeting - the committee's last before the vote.

The decision could jeopardize approval of Proposition 3, and maybe even a similar proposal in Utah County, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon said Wednesday. "We were always under the impression we would have a project list weeks before the election," he said.

County officials have done their part, added South Jordan City Manager Rick Horst. "But [the committee] would not avail itself in time before the election."

The ballot will include only the general language mandated under a law passed last month during a legislative special session, leaving voters to decide whether to raise taxes without specific information about how the money would be spent.

Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, defended the committee leaders' decision, saying the Legislature never meant politics to interfere with a scientific approach to transportation spending required by the law.

But the main reason Executive Appropriations won't take up the matter during its Tuesday meeting: House Speaker Greg Curtis will be in China on a trade mission with Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.

"We're just not going to be picking up the issue when [Curtis] is gone," Valentine said.

A week and a half ago, the County Council and Council of Governments decided how to weigh transportation spending criteria, a requirement under the new law. Officials can't officially rank projects until their criteria get legislative approval.

County officials didn't have to do the work before the election, but considered it a civic responsibility to give voters as much information as possible before asking them to approve a tax increase.

After working hundreds of hours on engineering and statistical analyses to back their choices, as the law requires, county mayors and the County Council expected Executive Appropriations to hear them out next week.

Valentine said he didn't know why they would believe that.

"They think it's a foregone conclusion the committee would vote for it," he said. "But they're presenting this cold turkey. There is a risk that if it were on [the agenda], it could be deferred anyway."

Besides, the Legislature's intent was to avoid politicizing transportation priorities, Valentine said. Local mayors got it into their mind that the Legislature would approve the criteria, he said, "so they could put specific [projects] on the ballot. We never discussed that, not once."

House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake City, an Executive Appropriations member, said he found the decision not to take up the county's proposal "incomprehensible" and bordering on irresponsible.

"It has been a long-standing concern of mine that we at the state level dictate too often to the local level how they should do their jobs," Becker said. "We aren't doing our jobs . . . if we do not respond."

The new law, which amended the long-standing County Powers Act, mandates that the ballot question only ask voters to agree to pay the tax increase for "corridor preservation, congestion mitigation, or to expand capacity for a regionally significant transportation facility."

"We tried very hard to make it simple so a voter could read it and understand what he was getting without going into the complexity of statistical analysis," Valentine said. "It is a vote that says, 'We will give authority to our local officials to come up with priorities for our transportation needs.' "

West Valley City resident Leonard Barney says the language is too general.

"I am all for seeing the spurs for the light rail completed ASAP, the commuter rail up and running," he said.

But he fears tax revenues could be detoured to Interstate 15 repairs because the Utah Department of Transportation has more clout with the Legislature than does Salt Lake County.

Still, he said, "to be honest, I'll probably vote in favor of [the tax] no matter what. But I will fight like Hades to get the light rail first before any highway work."

Jim Bennett, leader of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Vote for 3 campaign, said his group is focusing on the projects the public wants built.

"One hundred percent of the money generated by the tax increase will go to transit and transportation projects," he said. "If you step back from the controversy, you realize none of this matters if you don't pass the measure."

Salt Lake City Councilwoman Jill Remington Love said she will support the ballot measure and will probably add her name to the campaign after gaining reassurances from city attorneys that local government officials - and not the Legislature - will have the final say on the criteria.

The measure's purpose is to pay for critical transportation projects, Love said. "Salt Lake County residents have an opportunity right now they may not have in the future."

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* HEATHER MAY contributed to this story.