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Midvale • Leaders of Wasatch Front cities, counties and businesses launched an "education campaign" Thursday for a proposed sales-tax hike. But instead of dispassionately providing statistics, they strongly urged people to vote for it.

Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams explained how the tax increase could improve local roads and air quality, then said, "That is why I am voting yes for Prop 1, and encourage voters to do the same."

Having mayors, county commissioners and Utah Transit Authority officials appear during work hours on the lawn outside Midvale City Hall to rally for Proposition 1 upset one group that opposes the tax.

"It is concerning that our elected officials have resorted to using taxpayer-funded spaces and using their time to campaign on behalf of a tax increase on Utah families," said Evelyn Everton, Utah director of Americans for Prosperity. "I am convinced taxpayers will see through the fancy marketing ploys and see Proposition 1 for what it really is: more money taken away from family budgets to buy the things they really need."

Abby Albrecht, with Utahns for Responsible Transportation Investments, which organized the event, said it tried to rent space for the event, but was told use of the lawn was free. She said mayors and others were speaking during their lunch time. And she said they "have a First Amendment right" to express their opinion.

Proposition 1 would raise sales taxes by a penny for every $4 in purchases. Forty percent of the money in Wasatch Front counties would go to the Utah Transit Authority for bus and rail service. The rest would go to cities and counties for local roads.

Sixteen counties so far have put the issue on the Nov. 3 ballot, including Salt Lake County and all large Wasatch Front counties. Legislative analysts figure the higher tax would cost about $50 per person annually, if passed statewide.

Civic and business leaders united Thursday to explain some reasons the money is needed and to show off new "Prop 1: One for All" campaign materials from Utahns for Responsible Transportation Investments.

That group is a political- issues committee affiliated with the Salt Lake Chamber that was created to raise money to actively campaign for the proposition.

"Our education campaign will arm voters with information about what Prop 1 will pay for and how it will benefit them on a local, personal level," said the group's co-chairman, Ron Jibson, president and CEO of Questar Gas.

"The business community is fully behind Proposition 1." He added that good transportation is important because "if customers and employees can't get to their businesses, they can't do business."

Jibson said just as brushing teeth can prevent cavities, raising taxes to maintain roads can be 25 times less expensive than eventually rebuilding them. "The cost of doing nothing is far higher for the average Utah family because good roads cost less."

Passing Proposition 1 "is the conservative thing to do," said Weber County Commissioner Kerry Gibson. "This is the right thing to do, to pay our bills as we go, to pay them upfront when we can to make sure we are not passing that burden on to our children."

Others said roads have deteriorated because the state had not raised gasoline tax in 18 years (although a 5-cent-a-gallon increase takes effect Jan. 1), and local governments need money now to catch up with needs.

"I can attest to the dire need for transportation funding," said Orem Mayor Richard Brunst. "Current funding levels are not adequate," especially with the population expected to skyrocket in coming years. He said the money could also help with needed sidewalks, trails and bike paths.

McAdams said the new revenue also would help with needed mass transit. "With Prop 1 funding, UTA has committed to provide our communities with more buses, more service, more often," which he added "will make transit a more viable option."

The UTA Board passed a resolution Wednesday saying it would focus on expanding bus service with any new tax money from the proposition. It also said it cannot and will not campaign for the tax hike and will simply provide data, but UTA officials stood with other officials (but did not speak) at the campaign launch Thursday.

Midvale Mayor JoAnn Seghini said 111 Utah cities have passed resolutions in support of the proposition. "We're providing the opportunity to give the voters the choice.

And now we're here to ask you to vote yes for Proposition 1. Why vote yes? Because it's urgently needed."