SALT LAKE CITY — In the coming weeks, voters will decide on bond proposals for both the Salt Lake City and Murray school districts.
Both proposals took more than a decade to develop. The Murray City School District has not required a bond since 2012 and the Salt Lake City School District has not required a bond since 1999.
Here’s a breakdown of how much the bond would cost taxpayers within each district’s boundaries if passed, and what the districts would like to do with the potential influx of tax dollars.
salt lake city school district
When voters within the boundaries of the Salt Lake City School District cast their ballots in November, they will have the option of voting yes or no on a $730 million general obligation bond for the district.
If passed, the bond would increase property taxes by $38.33 per year ($3.19 per month) for every $100,000 in home value.
For business owners within district boundaries, property taxes increase by $67.70 per year ($5.64 per month) for every $100,000 in property value.
The school district estimates it will take about 25 years to pay off the bond, but the impact on taxpayers could vary depending on changes in interest rates over that time.
The district currently has one of the lowest property tax rates of any school district in the state. Passing the bond would increase these rates slightly, but they would still be below the average property tax rate for Utah school districts.
Since the district issued its last bond in 1999, it has prioritized seismic retrofitting of all district schools, including rebuilding several elementary and middle schools.
So what will the district do with the $730 million if the bond is approved?
A significant portion of the funds will be used to rebuild West High School, the oldest high school in the state, built in 1921, and Highland High School, built in 1955.
According to the district’s website, both schools have “outdated infrastructure,” including outdated plumbing and electrical systems, inadequate power outlets for student devices, and poor heating and cooling systems, and lack of modern technology and systems management. There are challenges in expanding access to tools, he said.
“These infrastructure challenges make even basic repairs expensive and mean that even the current Highland and West High School buildings are unable to meet the demands of 21st century education,” the website said. “There is,” he said.
Through this bond, Highland High School will be rebuilt with on-site solar power and ground source heat pumps, and West High School will be rebuilt with on-site solar power.
Part of the respective rebuilds for both schools will also include the construction of indoor fieldhouses for athletics at West High School and Highland High School. If the bond passes, an indoor fieldhouse is also planned for East High School.
Additionally, the district approved a student-led sustainability resolution in 2020, setting goals for the district to be 100% clean energy by 2030 and 100% carbon neutral by 2040.
A subsequent Sustainability Action Plan put the district 22% of the way to meeting its goals.
If the bond passes, the funds would be used to add or expand solar panels to 14 schools and facilities and install hybrid electric heat pumps and controls on 13 district buildings.
“By completing these projects, the district will go from 22 percent of the way toward meeting the board’s sustainability goals to approximately 70 percent of the way toward meeting the board’s sustainability goals.” It is listed on the school district’s website.
Murray City School District
A bond measure proposed to taxpayers within the Murray City School District is aimed at addressing structural deficiencies, school safety and learning opportunities at two schools: Murray High School and Riverview Middle School.
If passed, the $125 million, 20-year bond would increase property taxes by $132 per year ($11 per month) on the average home value ($538,400) and increase property taxes on the average value of a home ($538,400) and a business of the same value. Property taxes on real estate will increase by $240 per year ($20 per month).
A portion of the bond will be used to replace Riverview Middle School, which was built in 1961.
“The board believes that the best use of taxpayer dollars is to rebuild Riverview Middle School and provide our students with the best possible secondary education they deserve. We decided that it was important to bring it up to modern standards.”
The school district said in a statement that the school suffered “significant damage” in several areas, including roofing, plumbing, safety and modern learning configurations, which are costly, inefficient and only provide temporary solutions. He said that he has received.
Another portion of the bond will be used to construct a new classroom building at Murray High School, along with additional security enhancements.
In June, the Murray School Board unanimously voted to transfer ninth grade students to the high school regardless of the bond election. The new building will accommodate the additional classroom space needed and “create a cost-effective and student-friendly solution,” the district said in a release.
“The new building will also help improve 9th grade curriculum options and activities that are currently unavailable or difficult. This includes student participation in advanced placement classes and participation in high school extracurricular activities. All will take place on the high school campus,” the district said. .
Additionally, the district hopes to incorporate the latest security enhancements to accommodate new safety practices to help protect students at the newly established high school entrances.
“Our decision-making perspective begins with what is best for our students,” Superintendent Jennifer Covington said in a statement. “These decisions were unanimous by the board because they easily passed that test. Moreover, these decisions were in line with Murray’s commitment to meeting children to provide a quality education. Just improve your unique approach.”
If the bond passes, construction on the projects would begin immediately in 2025, meaning both would be completed by the 2027-2028 school year.
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