Lawmakers to weigh school-district splits

Controversy over cities forming their own school districts comes down to finance, and two lawmakers are filing competing bills to try to bring the issue back to philosophy.

HB75, sponsored by Rep. Steve Mascaro, R-West Jordan, would require a majority vote in both the old and proposed new school districts in order for a district to split — only people in the cities leaving would have a say under a year-old law. The bill also would require a feasibility study to at least examine how a split would affect money, personnel and opportunities for students in both the new and remaining school district.

Mascaro says the bill attempts to make the process more financially fair for people in the growing west side of Salt Lake County.

"The legislation is primarily used as a warning shot, if you will, across the bow ... to say, 'I'm going to run this bill and going to (work hard to) get it passed if we don't slow down and find a way to fund the building of schools in this valley,"' Mascaro said.

Officials at Jordan and Granite school districts, home to several of the cities looking at creating their own school districts, support the bill.

But affected city leaders do not believe it will go far. Last year, legislation creating the current process passed by a huge margin, and Cottonwood Heights Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore Jr. does not think lawmakers will take away the power for municipalities to split a district.

"When Cottonwood Heights became a city, the whole county didn't vote," he said, using the 2-year-old city as an example. "It's done by the people who are going to have to pay the taxes associated with that new district."

Meanwhile, Sen. Carlene Walker, R-Sandy, thinks she can stop the financial fight.

She says she'll amend her SB30 to include a countywide, equalized capital outlay fund. Everyone would pay into the pot, and the money would be doled out based on school enrollment growth and possibly, the age of schools for renovations. The idea is to "spread the pain, equalize the input and have the fund focused on the growth areas," she said.

"We also realize the west side is growing extremely fast, and we have to figure out a vehicle to help them build those schools," Walker said. "We are really about governance ... I'm speaking about parents who want a say in their child's school, and the school districts are getting so large that the kids and the parents are getting lost."

Walker said she's examining whether to take the concept statewide. While Salt Lake County is home to four school districts, and Utah County three, most districts follow county lines.

Mascaro said he wants to talk to Walker about her ideas, then see if his constituents like them. He said discussions could entice him to abandon his bill.