"I was holding out for stronger [original] wording," Burt said, adding she was glad to see the West Valley City Council and mayor vote 5-2 for a resolution opposing possible tolls on the Mountain View Corridor.

The other dissenting vote came from Councilman Russ Brooks.

Burt presented the resolution after huddling with council members from other Salt Lake County cities. She said those members wanted all the cities to be united against the tolling option the Utah Department of Transportation has presented as a way to fund the west-side highway.

"I don't want to water down the impact of this," Burt said. "We want our Legislature to know that we go along with the other cities in this west side of the valley."

Burt took issue with a change by Councilman Mike Winder that replaced tolling as "not an appropriate option" with language calling it "the least desirable option."

"I don't think it waters it down," Winder said, noting that tolling could technically be an appropriate option since many roads nationally have been funded that way. "I, for one, am against tolling; I think it's unfair."

Winder's change was one Mayor Dennis Nordfelt had suggested before Tuesday's meeting. In earlier discussions, Nordfelt urged the council to consider wording that allowed for tolling as a last option if it was the quickest way to build the Mountain View Corridor.

"I recognize that I am a minority in my regard to this resolution," the mayor said.

If state legislators ultimately decided not to build the highway through other funding means - like a gas tax or car-registration fees - Burt said she would be willing to reconsider tolls.

Those user fees could fund about $1.1 billion of the $1.8 billion construction cost, according to a UDOT study.

Burt said it was important not to force tolling on west-siders, whose taxes have helped fund roads on the east side and across the state. Estimates figure some commuters could pay more than $200 a month on tolls.

mariav@sltrib.com