Utah Taxpayer

Are we there yet? Now may we discuss statewide building equalization and how charter schools would participate if this proposal is successful?

Thanks.

Sure. What's your proposal? Does your proposal discourage school districts from building more-expensive-than necessary schools?

Currently, some pressure exists to prevent district from building even more expensive schools because local property owners have to approve the bond. However, if a statewide funding source is used to build local schools, that incentive disappears, or do you have a way to address this?

In our August newsletter, we'll have our report on the discrepancy between charter school funding and district funding.

Actually, my question was not about the implied Taj Mahal happy school boards, I'm just curious as to where UTA is on figuring how statewide building equalization can fund charter schools in addition to growing school districts.

It appears statewide funding would be inadequate to make much of a dent in a growing district such as Alpine and adding charter schools to the recipients of statewide capital funding would lessen that amount unless all Utahns' taxes were raised.

Anon,

First of all, no one is really talking about 100% capital funding from the state, at least not in the near term. Local revenues will play a significant role.

It's really an issue of distributing existing revenues, not raising taxes.

Since charter schools receive less funding per student than district schools, charter school growth ultimately makes the process easier.

Kudos UTA for this outstanding report. I can only imagine how much work was involved in preparing this.

I am very supportive of charters participating in building equalization. Financing construction is a major obstacle for charters. Frankly deep down I don't think the districts want to be involved in this business, either. The only problems are if the legislature would get too stingy with the money or would want to control the process (a perenniel problem in Utah), disempowering the local school boards. Like they say it is unwise to spend too much but it is foolish to spend too little.

Craig Johnson