Reader comments
East and west Jordan District teams finalizing reports

According to the article, why should the East side get the West side Bond money? What are the otehr issues? and why are'nt they made public?

The east district asked for $200 million dollars in cash plus the real estate on the east side, including about 100 acres just east of Jordan Commons.

This split is an expensive fiasco that was voted in by Sandy, Draper and Midvale. They're the only ones who got to vote on it. (Thanks Republican leaders) and they should pay the expense of the split.

Not allowing anyone else to vote and then expecting them to foot the bill is a kind of taxation without representation.

Many of these issues should have been on the table before the vote. But alas, we all know how our legislators work.

Action that affects over 70,000 kids, and only two comments about what is going on? In the famous words from Eagles slead singer Don Henley, "We get the government we deserve".

Oh, by the way, ALPS funding for ant field trips has currently been eliminated in the Jordan School District. Why? Currently blamed on fuel costs, but more likely East side retaliation for a lack of settlement on the issues surrounding the split. What a nice way to provide a quality education for our kids.

Thanks so much Carlene Walker. Please don't get any more bright ideas, we can't afford them.

I hope the facts do come out. The west side demands all of the bond money, but demands that the east side pays the bill. If the money belongs to the west side as �Wondering?� implies, then why do they demand that the east pays for this debt. If it is their money then let them take the debt.

Residents of the cities that did not vote on this split are in an uproar. Ask yourself one question: How was my city created? The likelihood is that your city was created by a vote of the people in your area who decided to secede from some other city or from the county. Did the other residents outside of your area get to vote? Nope. Do you argue that the entire county would be better off if we had one local government rather than individual city governments? Nope. Would we be better off to eliminate state governments and allow a more efficient federal government to run the whole program? Nope. Political subdivisions have always been important to our form of government. Most political subdivisions are the result of a vote of the minority to secede from a non-responsive majority.

There is no reason this could not be settled equitably and fairly, except for greed on the west-side's part. They want to keep picking the pocket of the east.

BTW, a district of 36,000 students is NOT small. The average size of district in the U.S. is less than 3,000!

Since the East side is paying close to 60 percent of the bonds, they should get some of that money. If the west side is willing to take on 100% of the debt, then they can have all the money. I suspect arbitration will solve this one easily. Of course, it will be a 2-1 vote with the west side appointee sitting out.

Please tell me if dividing the district was a secession or a split. It was proposed as a secession. Think of it like when BYU stepped away from the WAC. They left-- clean break. They did NOT take any assets with them- they just left and started up the Mountain West conference, with just the monies their schoool and the other schools involved generated. They did not take away from the other schools --They just left. That is a sucession. Now one can easily argue that BYU added alot financialy to the WAC over the years- and therefore has the "right" to take some financial compensation with them- but they SECEEDED- not split- so I would think that we need to clarify the wording of what happened last election. If it was a split then everyone involved (east and west side residents) should have had the vote. If it was a secession then the east side leaves and then petitions the existing Jordan District (what is now the West district)for assets it would like to negotiate for.

Split it proportionately by the number of students in each new district. East side has old schools, west side has to have new offices and plenty of new schools to accomodate growth. Both have needs that the other doesn't want to pay for and shouldn't have to. East side made this mess, now let them deal with it. Both sides will have to tax their own populations to cover expenses, and won't have the other side to blame anymore, they'll have to justify the expenses to their voters. You can project future expenses, but your numbers will almost certainly be off anyway - with real estate going in the tank, population trends may be a little different than projected. Less new housing, or sold over a longer time frame, fewer people moving, etc. Just add up the kids you have today, and divide into the total cash.

Perhaps you should rethink your position.

The former school district served many communities. Taxpayers and voters invested in this former district for generations. All benefited by those contributions. If alternations were desired by some to that former school district, all patrons should have had the right to vote on any changes. Instead, Charlene Walker was able to pass legislation that in effect took that vote away from some. Our elected officials could just have easily considered the proposed changes and then allowed all affected to vote. They may not have gotten their desired result, but then our state and school district would not now be spending a disturbing amount on accessment studies and litigation. And no one is discussing the programs that must now be duplicated that served that population well. I don't have a stake in this, but the precedent scares me. Special interests won this one, and it will cost us all greatly.

Here's the Murray school district report: Y'all are going to steal 1,000,000 dollars of our kids money. Here is the Salt Lake School district report: Y'all are going to steal 7,000,000 dollars of our kids money. This whole process is a joke- Folks who do not even have a dog in the fight are being made to pay. If you want to live in herimman, fine- just pay for your own schools like responsible adults.

I used to live in the Jordan District (west side), but now live in the Alpine District, so I don't have a dog in the fight. However, it was clear to me that the Jordan District was bloated, unresponsive, and more concerned with district employees than teachers and schools. That is why I moved. This split will eventually be better for all involved with smaller districts. The fight over the money is obviously a final temper tantrum by the west side still upset about the split. Whatever portion of bond money going to each side should have the same portion of debt associated with the bond attached to that money. Quit the tantrum it will not stop the split and just cost taxpayers more money.

The whole thing is a 'stinking mess'. How can it end fairly for all - it wasn't begun fairly for all.

If only there were a way to start all over again and do it in a fair manner for everyone, but that is not possible now.

Our children are the sufferers and will be on both sides for many years to come.

Great example all you so called 'leaders'!!

Come on, Dr. Haws. You say you closed your meeting because "the document has 'potential implications for litigation and arbitration' and therefore falls within the parameters of the Utah Open Meetings Law." One could argue every subject has such 'potential,' and close every meeting. But the fact is this is the public's business. By law, the document has to be released to the public via the school boards today anyway. Also by law, the public had the right to hear the deliberations made in formulating that document. What purpose does it serve to shut out the public? Do the right thing and put an end to the secret meetings.

You use a great example, you just come to the wrong conclusion. When BYU stepped away from the WAC they took their assets with them.

1) They where not required to send the WAC yearly payments to compensate for their departure. The new school district will contribute $3.2 million each year to help pay west side expenses.

2) They were not required to leave their assets to the WAC. The WAC did not demand BYU's law school as compensation for the pain caused by BYU's departure. The west side is now demanding assets that belong to the east side and asking for payment for west assets.

3) I don't know this, but I doubt the WAC required BYU to pay off debt that was incurred for the future benefit of the WAC. The west district expects the east to make payments for the next 15 years to pay off the construction of schools that will be built over the next several years. $196 Million dollars spent after the split, and every penny goes to the West side. Even so, the east side is asked make the payment.

We would be happy to get the BYU WAC treatment.

riverton and some of the other citys on the west side are much older than draper or even sandy. so many of the the schools in the east side got money from, them just as now all the rich people moving to the east side are payiny for schools on the west side. this is way things have always been. it is a class confrontation, rich vs poor and middle class.

I keep hearing people say: "Stick it to those east side bums. They got to vote. They deserve the mess they created"

How much should voting cost?

The west side has demanded 75% of the assets while they educate 57% of the students. How do they justify this? They did not get to vote. They deserve more than their share because this vote was not fair.

They say this is about students not money, yet their demand of 75% of the assets leaves only 25% of what it takes to educate students for the other 43% of the students.

Tough luck for east side students. Their parents got to vote.

What is wrong with the thinking that each student deserves their portion of the assets required to obtain an education. The only thing the west will accept is a proposal that gives each west side student $1.32 in assets and leaves east side students with $.58. Every student deserves their fair share...REGARDLESS OF HOW/IF THEIR PARENTS VOTED.

If you care about the education of children, and not the money, prove it. Make sure that every student gets his/her fair portion of the assets.

Dear "A Patriot":
What the heck is an "ant" field trip? Are you trying to show your intelligence by using acronyms that few people even understand... or do you just not know how to spell?

The West side is still trying to stick it to the EAST side. That is why we voted, we are tired of paying your bills. Please let us just pay our own.

You have your facts wrong. When an area of the state is growing so fast and out of control, the whole state should participate in funding this. Not just the established area of the district.