I have to hand it to the Jordan School District. They have done a great job of playing the victim and spinning the facts. Their PR people should be proud.
For nearly a decade the Jordan School District poured money into building new state of the art schools on the west side while all but ignoring the aging schools on the east side of the district. After years of frustration, the residents on the east side finally decided to leave and start a school district that would take their children's safety and comfort a little more seriously.
Right out the gate residents on the west side complained that they did not get to vote. Of course, there is no doubt how they would vote. Why let the east side leave then all that tax money from the east side was busy building new, state of the art schools on the west side? Who cares if kids on the east side are going to schools built in the 1960s and 1970s that do not meet earthquake codes, if our kids are getting the latest and greatest?
So when the east side voted to leave, did they cash in. No! To the contrary, the new Canyons School District has to pay nearly 59 percent of the debt service on all of those new schools on the west side. ($20 Million per year). This while it is estimated that Canyons School District needs to spend nearly $650 Million on its aging schools.
Having received a $20 Million annual subsidy, the great PR department for the Jordan School District came up with yet another way to extract more money from Canyons. When Canyons left, the tax revenue per pupil went up in the Canyons and down in Jordan School District. There is now nearly a $1,000 per student variance. Ah! Jordan can claim victim status once again by demanding that Canyons District give some of that disparity to Jordan. Of course, when arguing its case to the media, the Jordan School District completely omits the fact that it has a stable full of brand new schools while Canyons District needs $650 million for capital improvements.
If Canyons were to keep that $1000 per student difference, it would take 19 years to make all of the renovations needed for its aging schools. However, legislators from the cities in the Jordan School District are now seeking an addition $15 million annual tribute to "equalize" tax revenues. Why don't they propose anything to "equalize" the great disparity in physical assets? Because, despite the claim to being a conservative state, many of our legislators love a bailout. Any time you can get your hands on other people's money, count them in.
Here is a really radical idea. The residents of the Jordan School District actually raise their taxes to provide adequate funding for their school district. Otherwise, you are doing the same thing you are complaining about OBAMA. Redistribution is redistribution, regardless of who votes for it.



Few would argue with the proposition that Dr. Dinesh Patel is a Utah Genius. It is therefore fitting that Dr. Patel should be the inaugural honoree of the Utah Genius Lifetime Achievement Award. During Dr. Patel's career he has been: