Comments about ‘Utah Legislature: Plan to quash school equalization program faces heated opposition’

Conidering the residents of JSD work and spend money all across the valley, the equalization makes sense. They should be equalizing all funding state wide.

Kathy Johnson, member of the South Jordan City Council, states "Jordan district was left with more students but less property valuation."

Does Johnson realize that Jordan also was left with newer buildings, resulting in lower operating costs. It also was left with 60% of the district's assets and a greater portion of the state WPU money. It also was left with more than $200M of its bond debt paid.

Jordan district does not need equalization dollars and is taking money from districts that desperately do.

Sen. Davis voted for the bill allowing the school district split to take place. So it's OK as long as the tax increases are just on Jordan west siders. But if those tax increases boomerang back home, that's suddenly a big problem? RIIIIIIGHT.

Instead of eliminating the State Equalizaton Plan, expand its distribution formula to all 40 school districts instead of unfairly restricting it to soley Salt Lake County school districts. Granite, Salt Lake City School District, Murray School District and the westside of the former Jordan School District had not voice in the decision to create a super-rich school district. The burden to redress this decision shouldn't lie with only Salt Lake County residents.

Tab L. Uno, You are so misinformed it's frightening. "Super-rich" school district does not apply at all in this case. In fact, the new school district has a higher poverty rate that Jordan District and more Title I schools. As a former school board member, you should know better. If you are referring to the district that has the highest property tax valuation per student, that would be the Park City School District, and even then they are by no means "super rich" since most education dollars in the state are already equalized through the uniform school fund, and it is only a small portion (property tax dollars) that individual school districts have some local control. Even more striking: It is YOUR beloved Salt Lake School District that has a MUCH HIGHER assessed valuation per student than Canyons, which is toward the middle of the 41 districts -- not rich. So why don't you stop picking on them.

Statewide...it's the right thing to do.

I'm disappointed at this comment from the Canyons government relations director (which incidentally is the only district in the state to have such a position): After the meeting, Charlie Evans, Canyons District government relations director, told the Deseret News, "They (Jordan) are not unique in needing money. Every single district in the state needs money."
Jordan IS in a unique position now spending $1,000 less per student than his District.

The ammount cited in he article was only about $300 less than is they'd been "left whole". Furthermore, JSD & the media neglect to mention that while revenue per student dropped, COSTS PER STUDENT ALSO DROPPED almost $1000 each (due to the aforementioned lower overhead, newer & fuller schools).

@anon (1st post): be careful what you wish for - in state wide equalization shemes, JSD become a donator of funds, not the Sole receiver. Most Utah districts are MUCH poorer than JSD.

JSD suffers from entitlement! They are "entitled" to everyone else's money, but not responsible for their own actions. I guess the birth control education bill should be passed so their community could learn how to control their population.