Plans to equalize money for schools debated

With half the money sought, and just a one-time infusion at that, House Republicans on Thursday tossed out ideas on how to best "equalize" money available to build schools statewide, an issue brought on by the Jordan School District split.

Spread money thinner to involve more school districts, with a minimum $100,000 apiece? Or set up a statewide pool, with half of the districts winners and the others losers? Or something else?

"I just think everyone just wants to get into the act," said Senate Majority Whip Dan Eastman, R-Bountiful, and sponsor of the bill at issue, SB48. "I'm basically comfortable with everyone throwing their hat in the ring on this. My consideration is we do the best thing we can in the state."

SB48 sought $29 million to essentially double the amount in the Capital Outlay Foundation Program, which would help 25 school districts without big businesses to tax get enough money to build schools.

But budget priorities cut the price tag to about $15 million in one-time cash.

How the money would shake out for each district was still being calculated Thursday, Eastman said. But getting it wouldn't be tied to property tax cuts anymore.

And unchanged would be the controversial Salt Lake County equalization piece, where four school districts would pool money to give $12 million to the growing west side of Jordan District, left with less than half its tax base when the east side voted to secede.

"It doesn't give the property tax assistance we were hoping for," Eastman said. "But we (would) accomplish equalization for the district that split and start the process" others would follow.

But some representatives have an eye on changing Eastman's bill.

Rep. Kay McIff, R-Richfield, proposes spreading the $15 million to 33 school districts (all but Daggett, Kane, North Summit, Park City, Rich, South Summit and Wasatch). "Minimum allocations" between $100,000 and $200,000 would go to districts whose tax base per student is below the state average.

Tax-wealthy Park City would get nothing under the plan, as would Daggett District. But the income per-capita gap between the two is night and day, with Daggett at the state's bottom, said Rep. Mel Brown, R-Coalville, questioning the idea's fairness.

But Rep. Brad Last, R-St. George, urged colleagues to view the matter globally.