County commissioners are again considering an increased quarter-cent sales tax to pay for roads and mass transit.

At a meeting Thursday night, mayors backed the quarter-cent sales tax and expect the commissioners to decide before August to put it on the ballot for Utah County voters in November. Exactly how the $15 million annually generated by the tax would be divided between roads and mass transit hasn't been determined yet.

In 2004, this same sales tax increase was considered and approved by the commissioners but didn't make it to voters because state legislators and mayors wanted to see if the state would fund the projects instead. During the 2005 legislative session, lawmakers budgeted money for a fourth lane on Interstate 15 from Lehi to Orem.

Orem Mayor Jerry Washburn said preparation for the future of Utah County is important and the tax increase would help. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 456,073 people in Utah County in the year 2005 but the population is growing.

"There is plenty of transportation needs out there," said Rep. Jeff Alexander, R-Provo. "We just need to find out if the citizens want to add it."

Darrell Cook, executive director of Mountainland Association of Governments, said the tax would bring in $15 million dollars a year to help fund the reconstruction of some of the roads, but it won't pay for all of the road projects they hope to have completed before the reconstruction of I-15, which may happen in 2011. A total of $371 million dollars is needed and the rest of the money would be coming from the Utah Department of Transportation.

Commissioner Steve White said they only have a rough outline of when all the projects will be completed.

"Right now, 2011 is the best case scenario," he said. "A very, very best case scenario."

"These are a vitality needed bunch of roads whether we rebuild I-15 or not," Cook said. "They allow people to move from point A to point B for school, work, shopping, piano lessons. A project like this takes a partnership of state, federal and local dollars."

Cook said the sales tax is the local partnership that is needed for the projects.

Commissioner Larry Ellertson said there are transit studies happening now to determine if the money from the quarter-cent sales tax could someday go to the construction of a commuter rail or a bus rapid transit.

"We hope to have some of those things better outlined for the voters," he said. "I hope the voters would be seeking answers and asking questions if they have them so they will be well informed when they come to vote."

This increase will come in addition to a current quarter-cent sales tax that goes to transit operations in Utah County.

The current sales tax is six and a quarter percent for every dollar spent, but if the increase passes it would be a total of six and a half.

Ellertson said if the quarter-cent sales tax gains the approval of the public, it would go into effect in April 2007, or sooner if the Legislature would allow it.