With one minor change, a Senate committee approved a bill Friday that outlines funding mechanisms for expansion of the Salt Palace Convention Center, as well as a parking garage for Sandy's South Towne Expo Center. Senate Bill 211, sponsored by Michael Waddoups, R-Taylors- ville, now allows cities with at least 75,000 residents to impose a 1 percent hotel tax. The tax hike under the original language applied only to Salt Lake County, which expects it could collect $45 million from the tax to use toward the $82 million Salt Palace project in downtown Salt Lake City. The balance will come from $1.5 million to $1.9 million in hotel taxes to be collected from Salt Lake City every year for 10 years. Sandy would contribute closer to $150,000 yearly. Salt Lake City Councilman Dave Buhler said he supports the bill, but wants "some flexibility" in determining how the city pays its share in order to avoid a property-tax increase. - Derek P. Jensen