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The path to bring high-speed transit to the streets of Clark County became clearer this week 鈥� but obstacles still exist.

The board of the Clark County Public Transportation Benefit Area 鈥� known as 鈥� on Tuesday unanimously called for a ballot measure seeking a controversial sales tax increase. If voters within the C-TRAN service district were to approve the measure in November, the tax revenues would pay for maintenance of a light-rail system on the planned Columbia River Crossing as well as for part of a proposed rapid-transit bus line in Vancouver, Wash.

C-TRAN and other public officials initially proposed a sales tax increase to pay for the transit efforts; however, Vancouver City Council pushed for consideration of other funding options as well. After months of review, city councilors endorsed the ballot measure on Monday. Although Mayor Tim Leavitt and others remain skeptical of the need for the tax hike, a November vote is almost certain.

鈥淭he issue has been discussed ad nauseam,鈥� Leavitt said. 鈥淏ut my position has been and continues to be that it is imprudent to ask voters to increase taxes when it’s within the current capabilities of government agencies to handle these costs.鈥�

An advisory group formed by the mayor spent the past six months researching other funding sources for the approximately $2.5 million necessary to pay for light-rail operations and maintenance. Leavitt said the money could come from many possible sources, such as savings generated when bus routes are eliminated or shortened after light rail is in operation, or sales tax revenue generated by CRC construction.

But the council, in Monday’s 5-1 vote, ultimately endorsed the ballot measure that will ask voters for a 0.1-percentage-point boost in the local sales tax rate, which would generate up to $5.5 million per year. Then on Tuesday, Leavitt voted with his council in support of C-TRAN’s resolution.

鈥淲e were concerned that the sales tax might not be the best way to go in these economical times,鈥� said City Councilor Larry Smith, who is also chairman of the C-TRAN board. 鈥淭he economy still hasn’t gotten much better, but it turns out that the sales tax is the best approach.鈥�

The endorsement breaks a 鈥渓ogjam鈥� in terms of how to pay for the projects, according to Scott Patterson, C-TRAN’s director of development and public affairs. City councilors were the last ones to show support for the ballot measure.

鈥淭he path forward seems much clearer now,鈥� Patterson said.

But if the measure were to fail, as Leavitt expects, he said that the city council’s efforts to identify alternative project funding options will lay the groundwork for a plan B.

The potential sales tax increase would also cover some capital costs and operations costs of the planned enhanced bus system on Vancouver’s Fourth Plain corridor, which has won support from City Council but also generated some resistance in the community.

鈥淚 want them to stop this project,鈥� said Debbie Peterson, who has campaigned aggressively against the rapid-transit bus project and is running for a seat in the state House of Representatives. 鈥淚t’s the same thing on many transportation projects 鈥� they over-optimize revenue and under-value expenses.鈥�

C-TRAN last year proposed the enhanced bus system as a way to ease congestion between downtown and the Westfield Vancouver mall. The system, expected to cost $40 million to $55 million to construct, would use larger vehicles, elevated boarding stations and other features to ultimately reduce travel time along the corridor.

The project would need approval from three local bodies 鈥� including the Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council, which last week delayed its vote because of questions about funding. The deadline to apply for federal grants that would pay for the majority of the bus system is in September, but C-TRAN expects more clarity to come out of its July meeting.

鈥淚t’s convoluted to go through all of this, which is frustrating for everyone,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淭hese projects sometimes progress slowly, but that’s democracy 鈥� and it’s a healthy process.鈥�

After an expert review panel weighs in later this month, the C-TRAN board will be able to formally adopt a resolution to place the request for a sales tax increase on the November ballot.