Reader comments
Canyons kicks off day 1 of district
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Citizen of SL County | 6:52 p.m. July 1, 2009
In the Canyon's eyes, no divorce, but to the rest of the County's
taxpayers, selfish, secessionist, self-serving are the real motives driving this
"splitting of the sheets." Let's hope the rest of the state, and
the myopic legislature, have learned the real lessons from this unwise debacle
at taxpayer's expense.
A birth? | 8:49 p.m. July 1, 2009
The Canyons inhereted existing schools. That is not a birth. The Mayor is off
base on this one, big time.
Chuck | 11:23 p.m. July 1, 2009
The first two comments are just more of the embitterment caused by the Jordan
administration who tried in vain to stop this creation by playing to and
enlarging the east/west divide that was already there.
TWO new districts came into being on July 1st. Both districts have the chance to set precedence, positive precedence I hope. Go for it!
TWO new districts came into being on July 1st. Both districts have the chance to set precedence, positive precedence I hope. Go for it!
Comments continue below
Lemonade?... | 7:25 a.m. July 2, 2009
I know that I should be grateful for the splitting of a very large district into
two and for any new beginnings that are now defacto. Still this whole situation
came from defacto decisions of half of those it effects and it was not
"transparent" from my experience inside it. Yet I do have hope that
once the shortfalls leave me without a worked for pay increase I will feel
better about it. Leaving Jordan with a shortfall was not accidental in my
perspective, nor can be dismissed, but looking forward is important despite
that. It is for the kids' sake, right? That one is still hard to see? No
one should have to relegate their opinion on a subject like this because someone
else is celebrating. I think that "opportunity" or "chance"
was partly impaired for the west and it is hard for anyone grieving from a loss
to "set positive precedence" seeing as the preconditions were low. I
recall hearing of a 30 something mil loss for Jordans, not Canyons, though I
know the economy indirectly affects most. I will do my best despite this,
though I do hope, as a teacher, lessons are learned.
responsibility | 8:47 a.m. July 2, 2009
Chuck,
It is time to take responsibility for your own actions and quit blaming others. Canyons (I assume including you) voted for the split and the rest of the county is paying for it. This is not caused by Jordan, or Granite, or Murray, or Salt Lake, but we sure are paying for it.
It is time to take responsibility for your own actions and quit blaming others. Canyons (I assume including you) voted for the split and the rest of the county is paying for it. This is not caused by Jordan, or Granite, or Murray, or Salt Lake, but we sure are paying for it.
To "Lemonade?" | 9:33 a.m. July 2, 2009
...The truth of the matter is you're not even dealing with lemons. Jordan
still ranks No. 4 among the largest school districts in the state. And what a
lot of people don't realize is that it also still has a bigger tax base
than two of the three largest districts (Davis and Alpine) even though it has
13,000-17,000 fewer students than those two districts. What's more, Jordan
is also receiving money from the largest school district in the state (Granite)
through county-wide equalization. So as No. 4, Jordan is doing better than No. 2
and 3, and is receiving money from No. 1.
If I were a teacher I would really be questioning the reason for a massive tax increase and layoffs given this financial scenario. It seems to me that the "information" Jordan is providing is very misleading.
If I were a teacher I would really be questioning the reason for a massive tax increase and layoffs given this financial scenario. It seems to me that the "information" Jordan is providing is very misleading.
Anonymous | 9:34 a.m. July 2, 2009
Chuck,
We are bitter because our taxes in Salt Lake are being raised to pay for your private kingdom. Our kids in the Salt Lake School District are getting the short end of the stick here because you had the right to essentially vote to raise everybody else's taxes to lower your own and that isn't right.
We are bitter because our taxes in Salt Lake are being raised to pay for your private kingdom. Our kids in the Salt Lake School District are getting the short end of the stick here because you had the right to essentially vote to raise everybody else's taxes to lower your own and that isn't right.
give credit | 10:01 a.m. July 2, 2009
Have to give the new superintendent of the canyons credit he came to office and
then researched and hired the best of the best from the adminstration pool in
the old Jordan district and gave the schools more freedom in who they hire.
Sorry Jordan it looks like you got stuck with the high paid impersonal top heavy
adminstration at your district office, hope the New Jordan School Board can see
that they need new leadership and a new direction.....if not you may see other
cities opt out of the Jordan School District
1Observer | 10:04 a.m. July 2, 2009
This type of change is transformational. I am all for it.
There is one critical point that is being missed in all of this, and that is the inequity in school funding. While the state income tax funded WPU is equalized, there is a huge disparity in the property tax collected on a per student basis from district to district. If we had a truly equalized system where every taxpayer's burden was the same and each child was valued the same, there wouldn't be a deficit in the new old Jordan District. And growth would be funded as it occurred, rather than having to delay funding while the politics of a property tax increase are worked out. This would also get the local school boards out of the property tax business and help them stay focused on better student achievement, engaging the community, etc. Plus, when a division occurs, there isn't a geographic winner and loser. The money follows the students.
There is one critical point that is being missed in all of this, and that is the inequity in school funding. While the state income tax funded WPU is equalized, there is a huge disparity in the property tax collected on a per student basis from district to district. If we had a truly equalized system where every taxpayer's burden was the same and each child was valued the same, there wouldn't be a deficit in the new old Jordan District. And growth would be funded as it occurred, rather than having to delay funding while the politics of a property tax increase are worked out. This would also get the local school boards out of the property tax business and help them stay focused on better student achievement, engaging the community, etc. Plus, when a division occurs, there isn't a geographic winner and loser. The money follows the students.
i wonder | 10:14 a.m. July 2, 2009
if they will rename Jordan high School Canyons High now that it is no longer in
Jordan District?
Who's paying? | 10:52 a.m. July 2, 2009
To Anonymous:
You are badly misinformed. It is Jordan District that actively lobbied and convinced the Legislature that it needed money from Granite, Murray, Salt Lake and yes, Canyons to pay for its growth. Canyons will not receive one penny of this money, nor any of the more than $200 million it is paying to JSD over the next 15 years to retire Jordan's bond debt.
You are badly misinformed. It is Jordan District that actively lobbied and convinced the Legislature that it needed money from Granite, Murray, Salt Lake and yes, Canyons to pay for its growth. Canyons will not receive one penny of this money, nor any of the more than $200 million it is paying to JSD over the next 15 years to retire Jordan's bond debt.
Droning on... | 1:55 p.m. July 2, 2009
Blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah...
Can we get on with actually educating kids already!?!
Can we get on with actually educating kids already!?!
Anonymous | 2:19 p.m. July 2, 2009
Give Credit,
They also hired the dreg of the district as one of the top admin guys. JSD is very fortunate you took him as he is a known bad egg. Don't be fooled by smoke and mirrors. You didn't get the best, you got what applied and certain people wanted to hire.
They also hired the dreg of the district as one of the top admin guys. JSD is very fortunate you took him as he is a known bad egg. Don't be fooled by smoke and mirrors. You didn't get the best, you got what applied and certain people wanted to hire.
Chuck | 2:44 p.m. July 2, 2009
Just to correct accusations. I am not in Canyons District, but I cheer for
them! I wish it could happen now in the new largest district in the state,
Granite.
Another insight on equalization as passed by the legislature: ALL of the county spends money in the Salt Lake City, Murray, Canyons, and Granite areas boosting these economies. Doesn't it seem overdue that some of that tax money should come back where it came from??! Those are areas have been hogging it too long!
In fact the rest of the state pays into the tax revenues of all of Salt Lake County, but revenues are only equalized state-wide on the M&O part of the budget not the capital side. It's about time that equalization for capital that was done only for Salt Lake County went STATE-WIDE! In that case POOR Jordan District would also be paying out to the rest of the state!
Another insight on equalization as passed by the legislature: ALL of the county spends money in the Salt Lake City, Murray, Canyons, and Granite areas boosting these economies. Doesn't it seem overdue that some of that tax money should come back where it came from??! Those are areas have been hogging it too long!
In fact the rest of the state pays into the tax revenues of all of Salt Lake County, but revenues are only equalized state-wide on the M&O part of the budget not the capital side. It's about time that equalization for capital that was done only for Salt Lake County went STATE-WIDE! In that case POOR Jordan District would also be paying out to the rest of the state!
To: Give Credit | 8:49 p.m. July 3, 2009
I agree. As an employee in JSD, I am sickened by how top-heavy it remains. JSD
refuses to fund steps and lanes AND refuses to furlough employees (it's
cutting only PDD from the calendar). Meanwhile, it will keep 53 of its 57
district administrators!! How can a district be split almost in HALF and
maintain 93% of it's top bureaucrats? Somebody -- please help us!!
Anonymous | 6:30 p.m. July 6, 2009
I did go to pre-meetings and talked to several of the Canyons School Board members. They were surprised that there is a homeless shelter within the Canyon's boundaries, plus schools that have a large free lunch program. Come on School board members do you homework.
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Tracy Cowdell, Canyons School Board president, speaks during a logo unveiling ceremony in Midvale Wednesday.
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