Reader comments
Salt Lake school districts decry equalization plan

It is a terrible burden that the State Legislature is proposing placing on the citizens of Salt Lake City in equalizing of building funding for the much needed west-side school building that presently exist in the Jordan School District and that are located outside of Salt Lake City itself. A decade ago, the citizens of Salt Lake made an extraordinary commitment to bond for over a hundred million dollars in order to retro-fit its schools for earthquake and undertake on its own a major building project for both east and west side schools in its School District. To ask the residents of Salt Lake City to again pay extra for school buildings outside of Salt Lake City before citizens of Jordan School District have made similar sacrifices like Salt Lake City residents have already done seems so unfair and unjust. Again the Capital of Utah is being unfairly targeted by the State Legislature.

The vote to split did NOT create this problem! It merely revealed the reality of the problem that had been ignored. Doing it was not wrong, however the legislature should be putting new money in instead of trying to take from others to do what they themselves have not done as they should have.

Chuck,
Wake up the split came about because a mayor and legislator on the east side thought they could look good in the voters eyes by finding a way to split Jordan School District. But in order to do that they had to make sure the West side didn't get a say. So a unsuspecting legislature passed the bill and now we have a hugh mess that in which is going to cost the east and west side of Jordan School District more then they ever imagined. The legislature is trying to help but other are being hurt in the process. And that same legislator that started this whole thing is asking for 20 million from Jordan School District just to pay the start up of the new district. Tell me who is getting hurt in all this mess. The other districts and the west side of the Jordan.

Chuck and Wake-Up - Great comments all.

The citizens of Salt Lake City already pay the highest property taxes in the state. Many studies have confirmed this over the years. The police and fire departments cost more in Salt Lake City because of the daily influx of visitors and commuters. The public schools cost more as well. Why don't the legislators simply equalize the burden of property taxes over the entire state for everything, not just schools? Everybody in the state should pay the same rate of property tax per the value of their property exclusive of special district taxes unique to their area. Plain and simple.

NOW IF THEY WOULD MAKE EVERY ONE WITH THE CHILDREN PAY AN ADDITIONAL 10% TO THE STATE FOR EVERY CHILD ABOVE THE NATIONAL NORM OF 2-1/2 THEN WE COULS AFFORD NEW SCHOOLS
AS IT IS NOW WHEN THEY OPEN A NEW SCHOOL THEY HAVE TO INCLUDE 20 NEW RELOCATEABLES FOR EVERY SCHOOL
MAKE THEM BIG ENOUGH THE 1ST TIME

Chuck's right - the new district on the east side of Jordan did not create the problem. Despite Wake-up's beleive that two people could hose the entire legislature etc. etc. etc. and the rest of the state.

The problem has existed for decades and the PROBLEM continues because of exactly what's happening now - SLC doesn't want to give any money to the "poor" people elsewhere. I personally don't beleive the west-Jordan district is all that "poor" but they sure do make a lot of noise, don't they.

We must decide whether building equalization is desired, and if so do it (preferably with NEW money/taxes not existing money). Either way, it's not east-Jordan's "fault" that this issue is on the table, they're only the catalyst to bring it to your attention. You're welcome.

Utah wastes more money on tearing down buildings than anyplace I've ever seen. and until all the classrooms in the county are nearing capacity, the solution would be to redraw school boundaries. In the 20 or so rural districts most kids don't have neighborhood schools, they have to get on a bus, sometimes going 50 miles one way everyday, and 50 miles back. and poor little urban kid can't go an extra mile. Finally, you can't equalize the whole state tax rate until salaries are equal.