Legislature raises TIF share, clarifies lighting authority and creates county infrastructure bank funded by Salt Lake County tax

UDOT staff summarized multiple legislative changes that will affect planning and programming, including an increase in the share of state sales tax flowing into the Transportation Investment Fund (TIF), new allowable uses for TIF, project earmarks tied to Salt Lake County and the creation of a county‑level infrastructure bank funded by a Salt Lake County local option sales tax.

Key items summarized by UDOT staff - TIF sales tax increase: Staff said the legislature raised the statewide sales‑tax share earmarked for the Transportation Investment Fund from 20.68% to 27.68% of statewide sales tax collections. UDOT staff described the change as largely revenue‑neutral in the near term because the fiscal package included a roughly $330 million ongoing general‑fund appropriation to offset the increase; staff warned that percentage‑based revenue will grow over time. - Corridor preservation and transit: The legislature clarified that TIF funds may be used for corridor preservation and, in some cases, for corridor preservation that supports transit (for example FrontRunner or similar rail corridors). Staff stressed the commission must balance corridor preservation purchases against programmed capacity projects to avoid creating cash‑flow shortfalls for projects…