The Utah Transit Authority voted Friday to use Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs as a wedge to force the rest of the county to join the UTA tax district.

The vote is a political power play and means, at least on paper, that unless county commissioners agree to lobby the Legislature for the power to vote as a commission on a countywide transit tax district, Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs could be denied express bus service.

Residents of Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs will vote on the proposal, which includes a quarter-cent sales tax increase, in November. Residents will be able to comment on the express bus proposal at a 7 p.m. meeting on Oct. 3 at Eagle Mountain City Hall.

Most of Utah County has joined the transit tax district in city-by-city votes over the years, a fact that has long been a source of irritation to UTA because other counties have joined as whole counties, ensuring more tax money faster for the agency.

Utah County Commissioner Larry Ellertson is a member of the UTA board and was part of the unanimous vote on Friday. In a Daily Herald interview, he said most of Utah County already belongs to the transit tax district, which requires a quarter-cent sales tax increase for members. Goshen, Genola and Santaquin are the last holdouts, he said, "and they have indicated a desire [to join]. ... I am not aware of any huge objection to it."

So why force the issue, rather than letting those cities volunteer to join the district as Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs have done?

Because in those cities, the issue "just has not brought itself about yet," Ellertson said.

"Good, that will save us having to put it to a vote," said Santaquin Mayor James DeGraffenried when told about Friday's UTA vote.

DeGraffenried said Santaquin was considering voluntarily joining the transit district anyway next year because the city would like to have bus service for its senior citizens and others who need it.

Ellertson said Genola and Goshen would be little affected by the move because, with limited services in their cities, residents already shop in areas where they are subject to the transit tax. Mayors from Genola and Goshen could not be reached immediately for comment.

Officials from both Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs told the Daily Herald they were not concerned about UTA's caveat.

"I am aware that there has been a move afoot for quite some time to get the whole county into the district at once," said Saratoga Springs Mayor Tim Parker.

Eagle Mountain "is comfortable that things are moving forward as scheduled and we are looking forward to a public meeting for Eagle Mountain residents on Oct. 3," said city spokeswoman Linda Peterson.

Even though Friday's vote of the UTA board was unanimous, there was some trepidation about the move.

"I am concerned about if we can bind Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs," said board member Michelle Baguley, who represents Salt Lake County. "Maybe we should make the language fuzzier so they just have to encourage them [the county]."

"I think [the vote] is probably a good move, except when you go west of Santaquin into Goshen, Genola and Elberta," said Burtis Bills, who is a UTA board member and also the mayor of Payson. "I don't know if there are people enough there to support any kind of bus service. Are we opening a can of worms?"

Board members said district members are not guaranteed bus service, even though they have to pay the increased tax.

Terry Diehl, a board member who represents Salt Lake County, said the board should use Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs as leverage to push county commissioners toward converting the entire county into transit district members.

If approved by voters at the polls this fall, the express bus agreement would mean UTA would provide two northbound morning buses and two southbound evening buses through the end of 2011 using federal grant money to pay for the service.

In 2012, after the grant money has expired, UTA would provide connector service taking passengers throughout the day to the commuter rail station at Thanksgiving Point.¬ 

Friday's vote specified that one of UTA's "minimum terms" for service to Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs is that Utah County "would agree to pursue legislation in the next session that would bring the entire county into the transit district upon a vote of the County Commission."

In addition, "because it is difficult to remove services after three years even if tax revenues do not justify continued services, UTA could consider asking Utah County to provide a guaranty, possibly from [other transportation sales tax funds], of a certain level of sales tax revenues."