The Utah League of Cities and Towns took part in that debate, Shurtz said. The idea was, cities are in charge of infrastructure and parcels; schools deal with people, not conducive to an impact fee.

But are feelings changing?

"The league has not taken a position to say we don't like it. There are some cities who have expressed some anxiousness ... and a myriad of cities saying we need to figure out something," Shurtz said.

West Jordan last August passed a resolution supporting impact fees. Midvale, Sandy and Draper are looking at something similar, Shurtz said.

West Valley City on Tuesday discussed, then tabled a proposal to support impact fees.

The league's legislative policy committee — a group of about 120 people representing 80 Utah cities — is scheduled to talk about impact fees in an Oct. 16 meeting, Shurtz said.

The Jordan Board of Education, hearing such rumblings, on Tuesday OK'd a resolution urging the Legislature to authorize "a fair and equitable impact fee" for school districts, "to help them fund new educational facilities required to serve new population growth." The resolution says new housing often results in a need for a new school, and that impact fees may lessen the tax burden on existing property owners.

The resolution will be sent to other school board presidents and superintendents, Newbold said.

Jolley says other Wasatch Front districts are considering such resolutions.

"This issue hasn't died in the last 10 years," Jolley said. "It's just now got some momentum because of all the growth that's occurring in districts like ours."

Jolley has not crunched numbers as to what a "fair and equitable" impact fee might amount to.

Newbold says a legislator has come forth as a sponsor, but he declined to name that person.

Yet momentum for impact fees will slow, if the Utah Association of Realtors has any say.

The group stresses it supports public education, but says impact fees would "serve counter to what their intent is," Kyler said.

People will be priced out of home ownership, he said, and therefore, the opportunity to provide a more stable home that's more conducive to learning. He said the fees also run contrary to Utah's taxing philosophy.

"Impact fees may be the single greatest hidden tax and single greatest barrier to home affordability and ownership" nationwide, Kyler said.

"Either we agree everyone is entitled to a free public education, or we don't. We don't tax families who have more kids than families who have fewer kids; in fact, just the opposite occurs," he said. "Then why in this one instance would we say, but, if you happen to be buying a home ... we're going to tax you extra and above and beyond everybody else?"

Kyler says his group will be involved in the matter.

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Contributing: Doug Smeath

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E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com