Reader comments
A $400 million Utah surplus?

I got a suggestion---pay off some of that bond debt our school districts have acquired for building all these schools. Let the schools use the money they would have spent on interest and principle to buy current history books.

Let's also look at actually releasing those 'surplus' funds that are supposed to be going to public education, and let them actually go toward funding education for a change. We need to increase the WPU, build more schools in high growth areas so our kids aren't shut up in portables.

After that let's cut the food tax at grocery stores. Paying a tax on something that is essential makes sense because it effects everyone, poor and rich included fairly evenly. But only cut after we actually fund what we need to at appropriate levels.

Funding for education?!?!?! Harumph! I want my $5.35 back! That is one more meal at McDonald's after all...

Sure it would speed up my heart exploding, but the state will take care of that one right?

How about some MAJOR investment in the key to Utah's economic future: higher education. Capital facilities are badly needed on campuses throughout the state and our neighbors in the West are investing big time in basic research as a spur to economic development. Investment on the front end with some of this surplus will pay HUGE dividends on the back end. Promise.

I agree with Steven. Put the money in the educational system. Increase teacher's salaries. Draw more qualified teachers to Utah.

Please. Help Education!

Took the words right out of my mouth!!

Let's move that money towards education! We all agree that it is important, let's give even more than we already have. A large sum was placed in front of education last year, let's do it again and then some!!!

Continue to show our dedication to our kids, help change the future, and let's continue to improve our schools!

I will take them in fives and twenties... if not possible. Build more schools.

Ah, the old "What are we going to do with all out extra money" dilemma. Here's a clue: IT AIN'T YOUR MONEY! Get it? It our money - the taxpayers. Don't debate what to do with it. Give it back. You took it from me. Give me my share back. I earned it; not you!

yeah too bad our government doesn't practice common sense. Funding our schools should be priority one. I mean if you collect that much extra maybe we are underfunding something??? hmmmm Utahs Schools need to be improved so we are not so far behind the rest of the country. And yeah I want my food to be cheaper. Lets tax cigarettes to make up for that tax. Makes sense to me.

My son is one of over 40 students in two of his ninth grade classes. That may work in certain required courses at college, but such numbers are not conducive to learning in junior high. Pay teachers a living wage so we can attract and retain qualified educators.

Amen! Give me my money back. The tax burden is ridiculous and I don't trust the governemnt to spend MY money correctly!

Give it back to the peopel it is there money and money in individuals hand is better spent than money in governments hand.

How about putting it towards cutting class size once and for all. Instead of playing games with - oh let's get vouchers. NO - let's use the surplus to cut class size. I have been pushing this for 20 years and the legislators have done it only once, by 3 children per class. CUT the Class Size with the Surplus!!!!!

Could we actually get to 49th out of 50 instead of 50th out of 50 in education spending?

Hopefully a light will go off in the legislature's collective heads and see that the public wants our schools to be better funded. Not vouchers, not charters, not some new program. Just good old fashioned schools with good, well paid, teachers. Well paid not paid just enough to keep them around.

We need teaching to become the profession kids aspire to. The top of every kids list of dream jobs. Well paid, treated with respect, held in high esteem in society.

It can and should be done.

The "Extra" tax money is not the states, it is the taxpayers money. It should be returned to them. I need it back to help pay for the increase in my property taxes & the school bond increase that is soon coming. ... If a bank announces it was robbed of $250,000 & the bank robber is arrested with $350,000, does the bank robber get to keep the "Extra" $100,000? ... Hmmmmm?

There is this mentality that there should always be tax cuts. I say if utahns are stupid enough to push for tax cuts, they deserve what they get--which is the reputation of having worse schools than Mississippi. (If anyone has been to Mississippi, they should know how frightening that is.) If this education problems continue, Utahns will be known as the most stupid lot in the country. Ivy League universities will look at applications from students from Utah high schools and know their 4.0 really could never reach a 4.0 in a Massachusetts high school. Having left Utah--I'll leave it up to other Utahns to decide if they want to keep their positions as one of the most inferior states in the union.

Why doesn't Utah pay more money to teachers and teachers? Why do teachers in Utah have one of the lowest pay scales in he United States? I've heard there is a shortage of teachers in Utah. How can Utah get quality teachers if they are desperate for teachers?

As a native Utahn, I wouldn't dream of coming back to Utah to work for such low pay. I am in school in Texas to become a teacher. When I graduate, I will make over 43,000 my first year here.

How can Utah have such big surplusses and not give it to education? Where are their priorities? It is a sad state for Utah.

Give the teachers a raise!!!

Not one penny for the socialized soccer stadium

I spent my winters in Arizona, and I have found that they spend more on education down there. The schools are better and the roads are better. So why can't we spend more for schools and roads? Utah is a wonderful place to live, but the teachers need more money, is this so hard to understand? Why don't the Politicians get it? The planning for roads in Utah is bad. We build a sub division first roads second. Why not plan better for both schools and roads.

My children are home schooled because the schools are not doing their job. So we should just keep rewarding the schools for failing? In New York City they spend 64K per student and they still can't read.
If a company overcharges for a service and does not complete the work they were contracted to do should we just let them keep the money? Should we force their customers to pay more in hopes that next time they will do a better job? It is not the governments money its the peoples money. They need to refund the overcharge.