Reader comments
Board members' funds fight split

No Story Here | 7:49 a.m. Nov. 1, 2007

Come on Deseret News -- cover the issue not who spent $50 to fund this campaign. I spend more money on a pair of shoes than these people donated to this campaign. This is not a story. Why do you care? I don't.

Al J | 8:30 a.m. Nov. 1, 2007

How can you expect these people to run a district when they can't even file a simple financial disclosure? No wonder the people want a change.

Ben | 8:46 a.m. Nov. 1, 2007

This looks like board members are trying to keep their hefty pay raises. A few hundred dollars is a small price to pay in order to keep that free health care and to be paid as much as teachers for only working a few hours a month.

How can the Jordan Credit Union get away with its donation?

Comments continue below

Joe | 9:38 a.m. Nov. 1, 2007

As a resident of Sandy, Ellen Wallace certainly does not represent my interests and will not get my vote in any upcoming elections.

Manny | 10:02 a.m. Nov. 1, 2007

I'm glad to see some school board members have the best interest of all students in mind.

bmorrell | 10:13 a.m. Nov. 1, 2007

I would like to know why the Friends of Jordan School District, made up of members from the Jordan District school board, can't figure out how to file their group's PAC financial form on time. No wonder we want to split off from the district.

Manny | 11:19 a.m. Nov. 1, 2007

I'm glad to hear some school board members have students in mind. Splitting is not in the best interest of students.

Angry parent | 11:28 a.m. Nov. 1, 2007

The reason you want to break off has to do with money. The West side helped rebuild Jordan High, Copperview Elementary, Willow Springs Elem., Oak Hollow, Sandy Elementary and you don't want to stay.

Greedy and selfish. It will harm kids services.

blu44 | 12:16 p.m. Nov. 1, 2007

Manny, how do you figure splitting is not in the best interest of studetns? Doesn't dividing mean more money?

It's a story because | 1:15 p.m. Nov. 1, 2007

When Board members and District Admin make up 30% of the donations to a political group it certainly raises eyebrows. Those complaining didn't seem to make an issue that another board member gave a lot more to the other side. Reporting both sides (which DMN did) is ethical.
Not filing a complete disclosure (with 41% of all expenditures from some phantom money!!!) is outrageous. The entire point for these disclosures to be filed 1 week before the election is so that "hidden money" must be disclosed. The lack of information reeks or scandal. If the money truely has been spent and not collected, then I hope those who printed the signs (or otherwise are owed the $900.00 not collected) are OK with being unwitting "donors" to the campaign.

Manny | 1:18 p.m. Nov. 1, 2007

Blu44: feasibility studies show an east side district "may" be able to maintain current student services, but a west side district would need to increase taxes just to maintain. Plus it will cost $ millions for startup costs. So it's not more money.

Also, the studies don't really mention much about students. All they say is it's probably feasible for the cities to do the same things the current district does.

In other words, we spend a bunch of money just to get the same thing we've already got.

not-Angry Parent | 1:24 p.m. Nov. 1, 2007

Angry Parent: perhaps you'd be less angry if you had an understanding that the majority of EVERY school in JSD was paid for by east side development. The west side "helped", of course but ONLY a minority fraction of the total costs/budget.
The fact that you feel "it's all about money" must be only true for yourself as you somehow feel it's right to have paid a mere $43 dollars for $47 dollars worth of assets and have the audacity to claim "selfishness" while getting another $193 million in buildings that you will only pay $82.9 million in taxes for (the other $110 WILL be paid by Sandy, Draper, Midvale, CH, and Alta residents regardless of whether a new district is created).
If it's just about money, you'll lose every [fact-based] argument.
It it's about the kids, every child benefits from local focus and greater parental control in their schools.
If it's about services, I think the 4th (remaining JDS0 and 5th (new district) largest districts in the state of Utah can support all necessary services - and perhaps customize a few to local needs.

Keep our money | 1:48 p.m. Nov. 1, 2007

West siders will be robbing us for years to build schools. Who really cares if their taxes go up. We need to look out for ourselves. Kim Horiuchi seems to be the only school board member standing up for us on the east. She obviously understands the importance of keeping east side money on the east.

wannaknowthetruth | 7:10 p.m. Nov. 1, 2007

As a veteran educator in Jordan School District, I can assure you all that current programs and services will not be replicated if there is a district split. Many, if not all of the specialty schools and programs were available until student enrollment hit 40-50,000. If you cut an elephant in half, you don't get two small elephants. It simply dies. As well, what parent is being told they can't volunteer or participate in their child's education? Every school maintains an open School Community Council (SSC) which encourages parental involvement. This all boils down to greed and money. Sadly, our kids were never a consideration. Happy consequences.

wannaknowthewhat | 9:34 p.m. Nov. 1, 2007

wannaknowtthetruh is a misnomer before. You sound like you've already decided what your "truth" is and are sticking to it.

Don't confuse the time that a/some special service(s) came abour with the student enrollment. I might simply be a fact that after 60-70-80 years they were finally able to do it, or it then became mandated, or any number of other reasons...

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