Stephenson is proposing a $100 million statewide building aid program that favors growing districts with small commercial tax base. House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, proposes a countywide option, where building money in Salt Lake City, Jordan, Granite and Murray districts would go into one pot and be divvied according to need.

The idea of working through these issues in special session appeals to Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon.

"I think before the citizens vote, having all the unanswered questions answered and having resolutions to capital funding issues should (be) resolved," Corroon said.

But competing proposals aren't good for special sessions, which don't allow for public hearings or committee meetings to work through issues, legislative leaders said.

"I told the committee chairs if you come to us with a specific proposal on (building) equalization ... that I was willing to consider a special session on just those two issues," said Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem.

"We would want time to build consensus on a proposal" first, said Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo.

Believed to be less controversial is a bill Sen. Carlene Walker, R-Cottonwood Heights, and Rep. John Dougall, R-American Fork, presented to the committee Wednesday. It would let people in Draper's hilltop Suncrest community, which straddles the Utah-Salt Lake County line, continue being part of the Alpine School District in the split.

"We have a natural affinity for the Utah County side," said Suncrest resident DeLaina Tonks. "Please allow us to remain where the majority of our lives take place."

Curtis believes that bill could be well placed on a special session call.

But he says the request for a special session is premature.

Salt Lake County, South Salt Lake and Holladay still haven't voted whether to put the measure on the ballot. The county vote, at soonest, would come July 31.

"If they put it on there, if it's on the ballot, I'd be the first to say we need a solution and need to have a special session and do it by Sept. 1," Curtis said. "But there's no sense in saying, yes, let's commit to a special session ... only to have the county say, 'Oh, just kidding.' I have better ways to spend my time."

---

Contributing: Leigh Dethman, Amelia Nielson-Stowell

E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com