Equalization for school districts

WEST JORDAN — One word summarizes the hopes and dreams of west-side city leaders in the aftermath of November's school-split election: equalization.

Monday, lawmakers on the Legislative Equalization Task Force got behind a draft bill that would equalize the tax-collection effort by the state and counties for capital projects in school districts.

That means that regardless of the size, growth and need in a school district, they will be treated "fairly" when they need a new building, said task force chairman Sen. Dan Eastman, R-Bountiful, who drafted the legislation.

Under the measure, districts would be able to draw from a $28.5 million fund, created from both property taxes and income taxes, that would help supplement costs for capital and building projects, Eastman said.

And the measure is so critical to the Jordan district split that Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, wants to make sure the plan is on the books before the district becomes two.

The committee also signed off on legislation that would delay the implementation of a new district until 2012, or until the Legislature works out a prioritization process for new funding, whichever comes first.

"It's a backup bill in case we can't finalize equalization — we are going to prevent Jordan School District from (splitting) until we know for sure of the finances," Eastman said. "We don't want to leave the school district without funding for capital projects."

Buttars said he presented his bill in an attempt to protect the west side from the financial burden that will fall when the new east-side district is formed.

"This is just a fairness issue ... the west side has been helping to build the east-side buildings for hundreds of years and now they shouldn't be left on their own because someone wanted to split away from them," Buttars said. "That's probably the most irritating thing to us."

Buttars' amendment would not nullify November's election or stall the first steps of organizing the new district, but it would prohibit the district from providing education services until the equalization issue is resolved.

Several west-side city leaders have voiced concern over what will happen to their residents if equalization is not implemented before the east-side district starts functioning on its own. West Jordan Mayor Dave Newton said he, too, expects the issue to be resolved before any damage is done.