RDA vote may solidify Granite

Might the Granite Board of Education's vote to invest future tax dollars to revamp the Cottonwood Mall property stem efforts to split the school district?

Granite District last summer was under threat of being divided along east-west lines after the board voted to close two east-side schools. East-side split backers said the school district had grown so large — 68,000 students, Utah's second-largest school district — that their needs were vastly different from the west's, and their voices largely unheard.

But the split effort halted when the county declined to vote on whether to put the question to voters.

The issue is on the back burner, said South Salt Lake City Councilman Bill Anderson, a member of the small school districts coalition.

But would the flame flicker had the school board voted otherwise?

"I suppose those frustrated with Granite District would use that as one more reason" for the cause, Holladay City Councilman Lynn Pace said. "To me the issues were not related, but I can't say everyone would feel that way."

The Cottonwood Mall project aims to create a residential/commercial mix with a European village feel. To do so, affected taxing entities approved an RDA, aimed at deferring taxes in order to grow the tax base so there's more money to go around after the RDA expires, this one in 20 years. Meanwhile, the district will take in the same amount of money it has been, $170,000 a year, off the property, plus 25 percent of what it would get off the new development until the RDA expires.

The district split issue entered board discussions on the RDA, which required the district to invest $53 million in future tax revenue. At Holladay city's initial presentation to the board, Meier cut to the chase.

"If we do this, do we have a guarantee you won't break away?" she recalls asking city officials. When they replied they didn't want to be held hostage, Meier said, neither does the district.

Split efforts also seeped into board discussions just before the vote Tuesday.

"Support goes two ways. We need to support these cities, and they in turn will support us," east-side board member Carole Cannon said to thunderous applause from some 200 residents in the audience.

Afterward, at a "What Counts" town meeting, a resident asked Meier if the RDA vote "solidified the district," Meier said.

"I'm hoping it does," she said.