UTA has announced that it plans to increase its base fare next year, from $2.50 to $3. Obviously, higher fares will punish Utahns who have no choice but to ride transit, and drive away those who have other options. But if you ever pay sales tax, you should know that the fare increase means a worse deal for you, too. Some simple math using UTA’s own projections shows that taxpayers will pay more per UTA rider if the fare increases.