Voters will decide in November whether to add a quarter-cent to Utah County's sales tax in order to pay for improved roads and new mass transit projects.

Utah County commissioners agreed Tuesday to the ballot question that would put most of the money raised toward commuter rail between Springville and Salt Lake County. Other portions will pay for transit projects and road improvements associated with rebuilding Interstate 15.

The new tax would raise an estimated $16 million in its first year and $1 billion over 30 years that would be used to repay construction bonds. According to the language approved Tuesday, 87 percent of those funds would go toward "fixed guideway" transportation projects -- that is, commuter rail. Another 8 percent was slotted for state road projects, and the remaining 5 percent would be available for other mass transit work.

If voters approve it, the earliest the tax would take effect is April 1, 2007, Commissioner Larry Ellertson said.

Orem Mayor Jerry Washburn and Provo Mayor Lewis Billings told commissioners that the revenue is needed, even though no one likes additional taxes.

"I think we're going to pay for it one way or another," Billings said, adding that not funding the construction could lead to gridlock and a stalled economy.

Plans call for two road projects to be funded by the new money. Fifteen million dollars would go to 400 South in Springville from 1500 West to Main Street.

Work is also set for 4800 West in Highland, 1100 West in American Fork and 2000 West in Pleasant Grove that would improve the corridor between State Road 92 and U.S. Highway 89. The budget for that construction is $48 million -- $45 million that would come from the new sales tax and $3 million from the state Centennial Highway Fund.

That project needs legislative permission to begin, however, because the corridor is not a state road -- and the sales tax funds are supposed to be used for state roads only.

Commissioner Steve White said legislators likely will bend over backward to ensure the needed legislation gets through.

"If the legislation doesn't pass next year, then we shift it to another project," he added.

If voters agree with the tax, it will be several years before the projects are completed.

In other business, commissioners awarded a $139,800 contract for replacing the courthouse's fountain plaza in Provo to RB Construction and Concrete of Spanish Fork.

The fountain -- which hasn't been used for some time -- will be replaced with a flagpole plaza. Work is scheduled to be complete by Dec. 15.

"We think it'll probably be very attractive for the community," said Public Works Director Clyde Naylor.

Commissioners also approved several staff additions to the Utah County Sheriff's Office.

A patrol deputy, a sex crimes investigator and two half-time animal control officers were added to serve Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain, which contract with the sheriff's office for law enforcement.

There also will be two new corrections officer positions to oversee an ankle bracelet monitoring program designed to relieve crowding at the county jail.

A 400-bed expansion of the jail is under construction but isn't set to open until October 2007.

"We're under construction. They're moving right along," Sheriff Jim Tracy said. "We're trying to facilitate ever increasing numbers with some jail programs that allow us some flexibility."