Reader comments
Alpine School Board plans to vote on $568.4 million budget

"$900,000 for charter-school funding and $850,000 in capital funding"

This his how much money that state legislation cost Alpine School district this year alone. What on earth are they doing up at the capital besides making a complete and utter mess out of things in education? Are these people qualified to pass legislation? Perhaps we should tie their salaries to performance as well.

Dear Bad,

Are you complaining that Alpine School District does not have enough money? Half a billion dollars is an excellent budget. That's $9,000 a student!

By the way, Charter Schools ARE public schools.

Isn't it a bit redundant for the state to have two public school systems, and that $9,000 dollar per student figure also includes the debt service for Alpine School District. I'm not complaining about Alpine's budget but the fact that the state legislature is robbing Peter to pay Paul. This legislature is like a carnival act: The Smoke and Mirrors Attraction. I think schools would be a lot better off if the local communities were put back in charge. Nothing good ever comes when big government starts to micromanage things and anytime money gets shifted around, there is someone in the middle getting paid to count the money. Now Alpine needs a truth and taxation hearing to get that money back. So I thank the state legislature for giving residents another tax increase, because I'm sure Alpine wasn't the only district that lost money due to state legislative stupidity.

I certainly agree that parents and local communities need to be put back in charge. Charter schools have blazed the way. Alpine would be good to follow their way by breaking into three smaller parent friendly school district. Unfortunately that half billion dollar budget gives the ASD superintendent an incredible amount of power, power he has certainly fought hard to keep.

I'm puzzled why you are down on charter schools. It seems that saying public charter schools take money from other public schools is like saying Alpine School District takes money from Provo school district because they have a bigger budget or Timp HS takes money from Provo HS because they are different schools. In public education the money goes with the child.

The debt service is the cost of the buildings that house and benefit the child, thus it is money spent on the child. Debt could be lowered by building more cost effective schools and transferring administrative positions to teaching positions.

right off the top, big salaries and excellent benefits for the Top Administrators......LOL!!

LOL makes a point, the top administrative salaries at Alpine School District cost the taxpayers $1,160,789 before benefits. Money is power.

Bad, bad legislature,

The legislature is not to blame for the $900,000 going to charter schools. The parents of charter students are. They had the audacity to choose to leave a pathetic school where math investigations was shoved down everyones throat and go to schools that actually listen to parents and students.

BTW, the $900,000 is only 25% of the money the state sends to Alpine per charter student. Alpine actually keeps 75% for every charter student that leaves.

Let's see, Alpine keeps 75% of the money for every charter student that leaves,(the state makes up the difference to the charter) they complain about growth (which means when my kids left another child filled his seat). Even if you use math investigations is a great deal for Alpine.

So when Alpine cries and tries to blame the next tax increase on charter schools keep that in mind.