If the sales-tax cash passed under Proposition 3 - mostly for TRAX - is steered toward too many roads, the county is poised to sunset a car fee recently approved for corridor preservation.
Instead of making a $10 vehicle-registration fee for new roads permanent, the County Council voted unanimously Tuesday to delay the decision until next spring.
The reasoning: The Legislature will be wrapped by then and, with it, a list of what transportation projects will be funded with the voter-approved sales tax.
That way, the council can decide which roads to fund - the Mountain View Corridor, as originally intended, or otherwise - without hitting up taxpayers twice.
“I don't want to be redundant,” said Councilman Joe Hatch, who made the push to wait until the Legislature adjourns. “The last thing that I want to happen is we use this [registration] money for little city roads.”
The one exception: 12600 South. The council agreed to consider improving that road through Herriman with the car tax prior to April.
Either way, county residents will be paying the $10 registration fee until at least July 1, making it an even year since it started.
The dilemma surfaced as the council considered spending criteria for the car fee.
Members disagreed over whether to include state roads as well as piecemeal projects such as Highland Drive, 2000 East or 3200 West.
Councilman Mark Crockett argued it would be disingenuous not to use the money for the Mountain View Corridor, which also will see 25 percent of the sales tax.
“Let's not invite the rush on the bank,” he said.
Many mayors favor the registration hike as a means to mitigate traffic in high-growth areas such as the southwest swath of the valley.
But Hatch - the only council member to vote against the car tax - notes 40 percent of the fee will be paid by Salt Lake City residents, who won't see any benefit.
As such, he insists the money should be used only for the Mountain View Corridor or repealed.
“That's what we sold to the public when we approved this tax,” he said. “To alter that . . . is a betrayal.”
djensen@sltrib.com
