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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Salt Lake and Utah counties have approved a $10 annual hike in vehicle registration fees. Davis County decided against the hike.
The fee hike starts July 1 in Salt and Utah counties, where it was approved Tuesday by the counties' commissions.
The revenue is to be used by the state to preserve corridors for future highways within the counties approving the increase.
Davis County would have raised $1.9 million from the fee hike. The County Commission had decided it would have to have unanimous approval from the counties 15 cities before it would approve the fee increase. Ten of the city councils supported the proposal.
Davis County Commissioner Dannie McConkie contended it would have amounted to double taxation as residents already pay a gasoline tax to fund state roads.
Weber County Commissioner Ken Bischoff said none of his county's 15 cities responded to a request for input, so the county decided not to do anything this year.
"Without the consensus of our mayors, it wouldn't be prudent on the commission's part to move forward," he said. "That might cost us some money ... but we're not in a hurry to do this."
However, supporters contend the need is urgent.
Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon said, "Ten dollars today will cost us $100 tomorrow."
The Salt Lake County Council approved the increase 7-0, and the fee is expected to provide $7 million a year for use in the county. The Utah Department of Transportation is expected to use the money to obtain rights to land for an expected toll road west of Bangerter Highway.
In Utah County, commissioners voted 3-0 for the fee increase, but Commissioner Steve White said the revenue would be only "a paltry pittance."
The county stands to receive $2.6 million per year, but it has $285 million worth of road needs.
The 2005 Legislature provided for the fee increase, but to get the money, the counties had to approve it by April 1.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
