Transit Boss Accepts Fate of TRAX at Hands of Lawmakers

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) In many ways, it was the Utah Transit Authority that started it all. UTA requested a property tax hike in Salt Lake County to build four new TRAX spurs. The County Council agreed. Then the state legislature took things into its own hands, pushing a sales tax increase and expanding the scope to include road projects, as well as TRAX. UTA General Manager John Inglish:

"We were prepared under the property tax approach to to go work on four projects, but we understand there are greater, and higher priorities in the state."

Inglish gave state lawmakers his tacit approval just a few hours before the legislature convened in special session today. The sales tax proposal requires transit needs to vie for cash with dozens of roadway needs. But there's one benefit, says Inglish:

"This legislature creates a great opportunity to deal with an issue that we were unable to deal with, and that's commuter rail extending across the Wasatch Front and clear into Utah County," says Inglish.

If the legislature passes the sales tax measure, the Salt Lake County Council will still need to approve it for the November ballot. Councilman Randy Horiuchi promised lawmakers that would happen, but some on the council are expected to tray and block it because it doesn't guarantee funding for all four TRAX spurs. Inglish says given the funding, UTA can have all four lines running in less than seven years.

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