Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo, said he and his colleagues are willing to help the city pay to install air-surveillance radar at Provo Municipal Airport.

But they do not want to have to foot the entire bill.

"We're waiting for Provo to show what their portion is," Bramble said earlier this week. Once Provo shows the cash, the Legislature will foot the rest of the bill.

Late last year, the Federal Aviation Administration agreed to provide Provo with a $4-5 million radar system at its airport, on the condition that the city find $2 million.

Mayor Lewis Billings is already scrounging for the money. He was on Utah's Capitol Hill on Wednesday making the case before the Joint Transportation Appropriations Committee, and he's lobbying other local governments and agencies for assistance.

"We described it as having a bake sale trying to find sources," Billings said following the meeting.

Darrell Cook, executive director of the Mountainland Association of Governments, described the airport is an important regional project. Aside from serving as an alternative to Salt Lake International Airport in inclement weather, Provo airport would become more commercially viable and help the county's economy if it had a radar system, Cook said.

"It's a countywide benefit, and [supporting the airport] fits us like a glove," Cook said.

While the regional planning agency has not budgeted funds for aviation transportation, Cook suggested hitting up the cities.

He predicted that approach could raise up to $500,000.

Billings said he is hoping to raise at least $750,000, and possibly $1.5 million, and then ask the state to contribute about $1.2 million toward the plan.

But Billings is in a race against the clock. The Legislature is halfway through the second week of its seven-week session. He has to have the money in place before lawmakers set the state's budget.

dmeyers@sltrib.com