"We're probably about 15 years from construction, so a small sales tax is one option right now," said Sen. Bill Hickman, R-St. George. "As I sit down with other senators, I'd like to hear what their ideas are for other options, but I'm focused primarily on a sales tax increase."

Hickman argued that building a source of revenue for the project through an immediate tax hike would actually benefit both the project and, in the long run, taxpayers.

"It's got to be done sooner or later," Hickman said. "We might as well get on with it now so we don't need it to be a higher rate later on."

Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, president of the Utah Taxpayers Association, said although he had not yet heard of Hickman's proposal to increase sales taxes, he would prefer the project be funded by water fees.

"We believe it is preferable to fund water development and maintenance through water fees because it encourages conservation," Stephenson said.

Merritt Frey, executive director of the Utah Rivers Council, is opposed both to the proposed solution to the water problem and the means to fund it.

Frey attended a legislative task force meeting Tuesday regarding the pipeline and a Bear River water storage project. She claimed proponents are looking to bypass public opinion and hand taxpayers an unnecessary bill.

"If they pursue the sales tax . . . they're deciding to move forward with funding a project without public approval," Frey said. "They're looking at ways to pursue the development in a manner that will avoid discourse and make it harder to" change the plan later on.

Frey added that the potential Bear River storage proposal would ignore cheaper alternatives such as water conservation and agricultural water transfers.

Hickman said he would like to get legislation passed during this year's session, which begins Monday.