Comments about ‘Utah Legislature: Bill to aid Grand District could help Jordan as well’

The 2008 legislature passed SB48 which required the Salt Lake, Granite, Murray, and Canyons Districts to pay equalization funds to the Jordan District. My understanding is these funds are capital outlay funds, designed to help Jordan cover the cost of infrastructure for its increasing student population and they are earmarked for capital outlay expenditures, e.g. building new schools.

Would this year's HB354 also impact the use of SB48 funds, allowing the JSD to use these equalization funds on operating expenses rather than capital outlay expenses? If so, doesn't that defeat the reason SB48 was passed?

Frankly, all districts in the state of Utah are "financially distressed." Utah is, after all, 50th in the nation in the amount it spends on public education. And the Legislature is cutting education spending even more this year and not funding growth (11,000 new students).

But instead of adequately funding public education across the board, it has turned into a game of who can show the most "financial distress."

It is also clear from the comments by Supt. Newbold in this article that Jordan doesn't need the "equalization" funds. It doesn't want to spend them on the stated purpose they were given -- for capital outlay. So it's looking for another loophole. Why shouldn't Salt Lake, Granite, Murray and Canyons be allowed to spend these funds on their own operating expenses? If you really look at Jordan's budget, you will also see that it is actually in much better shape than MOST other districts in the state. But it knows the "financial distress" card works so it will keep playing it.

Considering that CSD now has nearly $1,000 dollars more per student than JSD after the split your argument falls flat. The I15 corridor lies between the two districts, and is where most of the money is. Had that been shared still we wouldn't be seeing Jordan as cash poor.

Layoffs are coming. Utah is about to hit the recession. The actions of our legislature are going to tip the dominoes taking away so many jobs for teachers, police and government it can't be avoided.

CSD does NOT have $1000 more per student. Rep. Bird's numbers were woefully inaccurate as further analysis showed.

Your false claim that "all the money" is along I-15 is also misguided. ALL sales tax funds that become education dollars are already 100% equalized via the WPU - and most businesses pay a lot more in sales tax than property tax.

Jordan's total tax base is nearly equal to CSD's now and is growing much faster. Jordan already has more tax base per student than Davis or Alpine.

If this 3-year bill will help them, then I'm supportive of it so long as it has the sunset clause. Over the next 3 years Jordan's board and taxpayers will hen have to decide what to do in the long run - cut further or choose to support their own kids at levels like every other district in the state. The whine-card is getting old.

Oh, and Utah is already in the recession - we're not as bad off as many, but were definitely in it. Just ask my boss (once I've find a new one...)

If you think Jordan is not as bad off as they are whining about, then surely you would not be opposed to state equalization of school funds, since you seem to be saying that the funds are already fair. Right?

@ re: @ Jordan not poor | 10:49 a.m. March 1, 2010

That question is best posed to your folks at JSD. Interesting that they want "equalization" only when they are the only receiver (as they are under Salt Lake County equalization or when a another district is paying). But ask your super or board president how they feel about statewide equalization and I bet you'll get a different story. Go ahead ask them ...

Certainly, it makes sense. That's exactly why it won't pass.

I thought this bill was initiated because GRAND county schools were in trouble? But it's always about the Wasatch Front, isn't it?