The City Council yesterday gave preliminary approval to increasing the general excise tax to pay for mass transit with a 7-2 vote, sending the bill for a final vote Aug. 10.

But before that can happen, the transit tax question shifts back to the state Capitol, where Gov. Linda Lingle has threatened to veto the bill that would give the counties the authority to raise the tax from 4 percent to 4.5 percent to pay for mass transit.

Lingle has until Tuesday to veto or sign bills.

More than 50 people signed up to testify yesterday on the transit tax and were split about evenly between supporters and opponents.

The two council members who voted against the measure were Charles Djou and Barbara Marshall.

Early yesterday, about 200 people from a group called the Coalition for Transportation Solutions rallied at Honolulu Hale in support of the transit tax bill. A day earlier, about 25 people who oppose it rallied outside of City Hall.

Pearl City resident Ruth Nakasone spoke against the tax, saying it would take 15 years before it could offer real traffic relief to most people. "We need action and solutions now," she testified before the council voted.

But Councilman Gary Okino, who has more than 40 years of experience as a planner, said Honolulu must fund transit as "the least of all evils" in fighting gridlock to reduce the growing traffic congestion.