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The group backing an initiative on the November ballot to raise the state sales tax to fund transportation won a battle to get the proposal's description rewritten in the voter information pamphlet.

The initiative would add a penny tax on each dollar spent to pay for 30 years' worth of road and transit projects statewide. Supporters went to court over the wording in a state voter information pamphlet approved by a legislative committee, saying it would sway voters to say no.

At issue was a description of the proposed increase in the state tax, from 5.6 cents on a dollar to 6.6 cents.

The voter pamphlet called it a 17.8 percent tax increase, which the supporters, known as the TIME Coalition, contended made the increase look larger.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Edward O. Burke said in his Friday ruling the description needs to be reworded.

"Plaintiff contends that although these descriptions are mathematically accurate, they will mislead voters," the judge wrote.

The judge agreed some voters would mistake the wording to mean the sales tax was increasing by 17.8 cents on each dollar spent.

"The court finds that the initial paragraph . . . is drafted to exaggerate the tax increase and confuse voters in order to affect the outcome of the public vote."

A panel of state legislators now has to come up with an impartial description of the ballot initiative or appeal the judge's ruling.

The Secretary of State's Office will need the final language by mid- to late August so it can print the ballot publicity pamphlet, said Kevin Tyne, deputy secretary of state. Some counties may have an earlier deadline for ballot printing, he said.