While Curtis and Stephenson — two prominent Republicans in the Legislature — are pushing the bill, neither Murray nor Salt Lake City has Republican representatives in the Legislature.

Currently, the taxable value per student in Granite and Jordan school districts is a little over $200,000. In Murray, that number is close to $400,000. And in Salt Lake, it is close to $600,000, according to information Curtis provided. The school district feasibility study commissioned for the southeast side shows all those numbers as being higher.

Options are in early stages of discussion. Representatives of Salt Lake and Murray school districts were not yet familiar with the idea.

Murray School District is unsure what its part would be in such a bill. Murray has never used state funds for any of its buildings, since property taxes cover that, said D. Wright, a spokesperson for the district.

Wright wondered why Murray and Salt Lake are in the debate, when the two have never discussed splitting their districts.

"What happens when you have a building that needs to be rebuilt?" said Jason Olsen, spokesperson for Salt Lake City School District. He noted that for the past 10 years, the district has used capital funds to update its buildings. He questioned if under this bill, Salt Lake School District would continue getting funds for renovation.

Sen. Carlene Walker, R-Cottonwood Heights, said at the task force meeting that equalization funds should be used towards remodeling and renovation, as well as new construction.

In that meeting, Rep. Aaron Tilton, R-Springville, said he thinks it would be the most fair to fund school building statewide rather than countywide, as is done with higher education buildings.

"If we're going to take on the burden, let's take on the burden as a state," he said.

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E-mail: astowell@desnews.com