Uintah County Commission passed a resolution on Monday that will allow the citizens of Uintah County to vote for or against a local option sales tax for transportation funding. The Proposition was originally known as Prop 1 and was on the ballot in 2015. Duchesne County voted in favor of the proposition while it narrowly failed in Uintah County. In 2016, the legislature made adjustments to how the funds can be split up among the county, cities and transit authorities. It was updated to allow less money be given directly to the transit districts and gave it back to the county and cities to decide where those funds are needed. If passed in this November’s election, the proposition will allow a sales tax of a quarter of a cent to be used for local transportation purposes. Uintah County is required by law to remain neutral on the proposition but at the request of cities within its boundary can elect to put it to the voters of Uintah County to decide. Vernal, Naples and Ballard all made the formal request in recent months prompting the resolution before the Commission on Monday. When it came to the vote, Commissioner Duane Shepherd and Bill Stringer voted to put the proposition on the 2017 ballot to allow the Uintah County voters to decide on the matter while Commissioner Brad Horrocks voted against it stating that a gas tax increase is already in play. The motion passed. Uintah County Clerk Auditor Mike Wilkins explained during the meeting that it is estimated the tax could bring in $1.6 million dollars split between the county, cities, and Basin Transit Authority. Wilkins also explained that the proposition has not yet been assigned a number by the state but for now it is leaning towards being called Proposition 4. The Commission is inviting all registered voters to become educated on the proposition and then provide their arguments for or against it by the end of August. A public hearing will be held on the proposition towards the end of October before ballots are mailed out
