Schools scaling back

Numbers crunchers at Jordan District are trying to figure out whether they'll have enough bond money to finish projects promised in 2003, when the most recent wave of building in that district began. The district planned to build 22 new schools with $337 million in bonds and savings.

And although the district was able to structure the new bond payments in a manner in which taxes did not increase, so far it has spent more money than anticipated, said Burke Jolley, the district's business manager.

Eleven schools will have been built by fall. The remaining buildings, however, are more expensive. There is $211 million in non-issued bonds remaining.

Jolley and his employees will determine the projected costs of the remaining buildings to see if the district can afford to build them. Eventually, the numbers and options will be presented to Jordan's Board of Education.

"We have a lot of growth," he said. "We are expecting to do another bond election within the next year or two. Whatever (amount) we're short in this bond, we'll add to the next bond, if you will."

Voters in the Davis District will be asked to approve an issuance of $230 million in bonds on June 27 that will in part fund projects that couldn't be paid for with previous bond money.

In 2002, voters approved a $190 million bond issuance that also did not require property tax increases. At the time, the district planned for about $210 million in projects because it expected an additional $20 million in funds from the state. But state money didn't materialize, and skyrocketing construction costs left many projects undone, said Williams, the district spokesman.

The district built the new schools it promised — but some projects at existing schools did not get finished. So, they were lumped in with the estimated 400 projects the district would like to build if new bonds are issued, Williams said.

Davis County residents' property taxes would not increase with a new bond issuance because new houses and homes will help absorb the costs to repay the bonds, Williams said.

"If we don't experience that growth, we'll slow down the issuance of those bonds, and the (building) of schools," Williams said. "That's how we maintain that promise. We can't do everything at once. If we do, taxes will go skyrocketing."

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E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com