Comments about ‘Upgrades too pricey for Canyons’

They should have thought about this before doing the split. They certainly didn't care when they were taking $$ away from the west side.

Mr. Cowdell, I cannot believe you have the gall to even use the word "fair" in any of your comments.

it doesn't sound like they thought this thing through.

A few months back the Canyons had a statement on their Web site applauding the work of the arbitrators. Now they don't like it? Now it's not fair? What has happened to all their money? Perhaps it was also spent on remodeling the offices of their high-paid officials.

This is laughable. The Canyons won't get any sympathy from me or a yes vote on adding air conditioning!

They say their schools are safe but they want them to be higher standards. Why not just say it like it is: they want their poor little darlings to go to nice, new schools. In this economy, that just isn't going to happen. Why pay for new schools for a bunch of elitists when I can hardly afford my gas bill. I think it's more important WHAT the kids learn and not WHERE they learn it.

Do you think we should go back to a single district?
Is that even possible?

I guess not there are too many new bureaucrats with big salaries.

Can we start talking about the "good old days"?

"The east side has a greater potential to generate funds" ??

Huh? How can Jordan district business director Burke Jolley even say that when the west has unlimited land for business and residential growth while the east is for the most part is already "built out."

Amazing, another bone headed conservative idea that failed. You circumvent democracy to forward your economic and social elitism and you discover there's costs. If I still lived on the West Side I would feel a amount of glee.

"examining the sale of surplus buildings and property"

I guess Canyons is thinking along the lines of closing down a few 'surplus' schools and selling them. Sounds like a GREAT idea. Wasn't the closing of two elementary schools the reason that started the whole let's make our own district fervor started anyhow?

I want to see if they could float a bond. They should be trying for a much smaller one first, not the whole greedy enchillada.

Sounds like the Canyons need a waahmburger to go with their french cries.

No wonder voters wanted to create a new district. The schools in Canyons are 20 years older than Jordan's and have been neglected for years. What is shocking is that JSD let the buildings deteriorate to this point -- "problems with mold, asbestos, plumbing, lighting, heat." And still it is receiving $300M in bond payments and $3.8M *every year* in equalization. Doesn't make sense.

Yes, I do admit to wanting "my little darlings" to attend schools that have adequate seismic upgrades, are free of mold, and have adequate technology in the classrooms. To ridicule that desire and claim it is elitist is incomprehensible.

We live in the Brighton High area. Brighton high has 6 classrooms that have upgraded wiring to support LCD projectors and other in-class technology. The wiring was installed in those six classrooms in just the last two years.

Even if one were to set aside the cost of air conditioning, the renovation needs just to bring some of the Canyons schools up to acceptable safety levels are staggering. Minimal seismic upgrades are a matter of safety. A desire for safe drop off areas are not a luxury. Removing mold and asbestos isn't an outlandish desire.

Many voted to form a new district because they perceived these safety/technological needs were being given a low priority by the JSD. The report of the task force validates this contention. Hopefully the Canyons Board will take this information and put together a plan to address these legitimate concerns in the upcoming years.

My house needs a lot of work these days too, but in the poor economy you don't see me going out and borrowing a bunch of money to add luxury items to it. Whatever happened to the mayors' promises that our taxes would go down? I'd rather see the money go to teachers, not to buildings.

I personally voted against the split of the district realizing the spliting of assets would be detrimental. But I do appreciate the Canyons District addressing issues that have been on the table for years that Jordan School District chose to ignore. They were too busy building air-conditioned schools and state of the art playgrounds for the children on the west side. 99 degrees is miserable in an un-air conditioned building no matter what side of the valley you live on.

Why doesn't the East Side PTA and Mayor Cullimore get involved and help out. They certainly did when they thought they were getting the better deal. Oh Too Bad!! Wasn't this in the dat in the numerous studies that
the east side did that cost millions. Oh well divorce sometimes isn't the best option and frequently presents untold consequences.
Dave

Remember the promises east side. We were told that if we voted to split away from Jordan that we could be a financially viable district without raising taxes. We were also promised that class sizes would go down and that all of our schools would be renovated to current standards. If any of us fall into this "poor us" propaganda now, shame on us. A $600 million dollar bond, in addition to the old debt would substantially increase our taxes for the next twenty years. Say NO to a Canyons bond. Make your Mayors, legislators and new district officials responsible for their promises.

Oh Too Bad. Perhaps the east side PTA and Mayor Cullimore can handle this like they did with the original split. It is too bad that divorce brings unexpected consequences.

So now it is the west sides fault (the people who dod not get to vote) that the canyons cant have their AC. Last I recall, everybody was happy with the arbitration, saying it was fair, now the tune has changed. It must be the fact that the "research" and half-truths which led to the canyons split really cant stand up to the facts.

Yeah, why trust Burke Jolley, he only has an degree from Harvard. I agree with mr Jolley, I would gladly trade places with them and they can have my tax increase.