Districts may share the wealth

A legislative task force late last summer readied bills spelling out two different solutions for debate in a special session. But both were pulled back, and lawmakers went back to the drawing table. Eastman's bill resulted.

SB48 seeks $28.7 million to pad both the Capitol Outlay building aid program and the Enrollment Growth Program, bringing the total state aid to about $56 million. Money would go to 25 school districts with small tax bases, with full benefits going to those with tax rates above a certain level. Alpine District stands to get $11.4 million — more than double the current amount. Davis would get $10.7 million, a $4 million increase. Jordan-west would get $7 million.

Under the bill, participating school districts would have to drop their property taxes by the same amount, so they essentially make no extra money, but give more head-room to raise taxes later on. Still, many say, it's likely districts in need will leave tax rates alone, a move that would require a public hearing.

But Eastman this week added to the bill a Robin Hood effect for Salt Lake County school districts. Granite, Murray, Salt Lake City, Jordan-west and Jordan-east would pool a portion of their property-tax revenues used for school buildings. Three-fourths of the pot would go back out based on enrollment, 25 percent based on enrollment growth. The concept is similar to that in one of the never-debated special session bills.

"I've done a dozen plus iterations of this," Eastman said. "Everyone agrees we need equalization. I think we have it, and I think we're combining everyone's ideas.

"I think it's one of the best pieces of legislation this session."

But some school officials disagree. A coalition of the Utah School Superintendents Association, Utah School Boards Association and the Utah Association of School Business Officials on Friday pulled its support of SB48 because of new Salt Lake County equalization provision.

"At first it looked good, but there are some real challenges," said superintendents association executive director Steve Peterson, who represents the groups on Capitol Hill. "They'd have to raise taxes to get the whole situation (even)."

In the end, Salt Lake City School District would be out $6 million; Murray, nearly $1 million; Granite, $1.4 million; and east-side Jordan District, $3.7 million under the equalization provision. West-side Jordan District would end up with $12 million extra.