Mayors from around the state are urging Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. to veto a bill limiting the ability of cities to use redevelopment agencies as a means of putting together commercial and housing projects. "There is room for improvement in the current RDA law," Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey said Wednesday. "But this bill, as it currently stands, takes away the one tool cities have to do economic development." A rash of letters from mayors including Godfrey, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and others who take issue with Senate Bill 184, sponsored by Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, has been sent to Huntsman's office in recent days. "There seems to be a perception among state officials that all 'big box' locations decisions are the result of excessive incentives offered by cities through their redevelopment agencies," wrote Centerville Mayor Michael Deamer, whose city has been embroiled in a Wal-Mart debate for the past year. Contacted by phone on Wednesday, Deamer explained the effect the bill would have on his city. "Our city never offered incentives through the RDA or otherwise," Deamer said. "But we may need to use the eminent domain provision in completing a walking path in the vicinity of the Wal-Mart in order to make it more palatable to our community and this bill has just taken away that right." Godfrey says the bill was altered and pushed through in the waning days of the 2005 Legislature. "The legislators made their decision believing there was broader support for the bill in its current state than there is," Godfrey said. "I've talked to a number of other mayors who believe there is some consensus to be made on RDA reform but that there needs to be more study and more input from the community." lorib@sltrib.com