Granite, Davis OK reading taxes

Davis and Granite residents will pay increased taxes so their school districts can participate in a state reading program, according to 2004-05 budgets passed by the two school boards Tuesday night.

The reading tax, approved this year in several Utah school districts, will add about $6.66 to the annual tax on a $100,000 house.

Granite District's $419.4 million budget, a quarter percent increase from last year, includes a new $1.9 million reading tax, job cuts and no raises — not yet.

"We're hopeful there can be a COLA (cost-of-living pay increase)," which could come from adjusting health insurance benefits, district budget director Mitch Robison said. "Negotiating teams are working hard."

Davis approved a $407.5 million budget that comes with a $1.3 million tax increase spurred by the new reading improvement legislation.

Some board members in both Davis and Granite were displeased with having to increase taxes to obtain matching revenue from the state for the reading initiative.

"The Legislature has just thrown the responsibility (of the reading program) on us," said Granite board member Patricia Sandstorm. "Instead of saying, 'We will do that,' they say 'We are going to allow you to do that,' and it still gripes me that we're the ones that have to do that but they're the ones that could have done it."

Even so, Bruce Williams, business administrator in the Davis District, said it would be "fiscally irresponsible" if the district didn't take action to receive the matching funds.

In Granite District, the reading tax will open the door to $2.1 million in state matching funds to provide reading help to kindergartners through third-graders.

Davis' $407.5 million budget rings out 7.13 percent less than last year's final budget but likely will increase when federal dollars start arriving in October, Davis spokesman Chris Williams said.

All Davis District employees will get a 1 percent COLA increase, something they haven't seen in three years, while insurance costs will increase almost 11 percent.

Also Tuesday, Salt Lake City School District approved a $231.7 million budget with an increase in levy rates, in part to cover the reading initiative. However, district spokesman Jason Olsen said because of a spike in last year's certified tax rate from the county, annual taxes on a $100,000 home could actually be a few dollars less than last year's rate of $331.

Any increase in taxes requires districts to hold truth-in-taxation hearings and allow for public comment. Hearings for all three districts will be scheduled for sometime in August.

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E-mail: terickson@desnews.com