SLCSpin says deal is done!

[DadOf6]

Originally Posted by Stucki

The problem is that RDA funds remove property tax revenues which is the one revenue stream that schools get directly. Long term, the property will pay higher taxes, but in the short term the district loses out.

The way I understand it is that the "TI" in TIFF is "tax increment." Right now Jordan District collects property taxes on the land. When the stadium is built the property will be worth more and more taxes can be collected. To entice someone to develop the land a RDA will agree to use the additional taxes to help fund the project.

JD would be stupid to stand in the way. They would be smart to insist that they continue collecting property taxes at the current valuation, or slightly more, until the term of the agreement is over. This way they lose nothing and there is nothing being built on the backs of our students.

Status quo on revenue for five years--then a windfall, or status quo until someone else buys it and develops it? Is there really a choice?

[I_Believe_In_Kreis]

Deseret News article on the situation

Jordan School District has received a lot of calls on the matter, most expressing that the school district not give up its money to the soccer stadium.

It sounds like we need to start working the phones/e-mail again. I know you have to take everything reported by the local media with a grain of salt, but it sounds like the JSD is already saying no way.

Every JSD school board member is up for reelection this November. They will do EXACTLY what Joe Public says......that means we need to help them understand that there are lots of us who want their money for the stadium, and we want what's best for the school district (in the way of tax revenues) in the long run.

[Donk]

I can already hear the cries of ,"Remember the Children!!!!" Nothing bothers me more than seeing overpaid school bureacrats whining about not having enough money for their own bloated salary and personal empires and using our children as their bargaining chips. Let's face it, this money is not going to come from something that will really help educate children, it will come from the bloated district bureacracy. Stop wasting my money on stupid things and actually educate my children with the money you do get before you whine that you need more to feed a system that doesn't really work. Just throwing more money at the problem is not going to actually fix the problems, it will just make them go away for a short term period. If you want more money for schools, why not a state , plenty of Utah dollars go to Idaho every week with powerball.

[Stucki]

Originally Posted by Donk

I can already hear the cries of ,"Remember the Children!!!!" Nothing bothers me more than seeing overpaid school bureacrats whining about not having enough money for their own bloated salary and personal empires and using our children as their bargaining chips. Let's face it, this money is not going to come from something that will really help educate children, it will come from the bloated district bureacracy. Stop wasting my money on stupid things and actually educate my children with the money you do get before you whine that you need more to feed a system that doesn't really work. Just throwing more money at the problem is not going to actually fix the problems, it will just make them go away for a short term period. If you want more money for schools, why not a state , plenty of Utah dollars go to Idaho every week with powerball.

I don't think school administrators make as much as you think they do.

I will be surprised if the school board torpedoes the stadium. I do think they will want some concessions like hosting games or things of that nature.

[Donk]

Originally Posted by Stucki

I don't think school administrators make as much as you think they do.

I will be surprised if the school board torpedoes the stadium. I do think they will want some concessions like hosting or things of that nature.

I know how much the top 6 people in the Ogden school district make and it's over 6 figures. Weber County is similar, but it's the top 5. Principals and teachers don't make squat, and that's the shame of the whole thing. Too much mney gets eaten up by the districts and not near enough gets passed to the schools.

As for the school board looking for concessions, that's my deep down feeling too. Fine, host graduations and football and soccer there, I see absolutely no problem with that whatsoever. If Dave wants public funds so badly, he better expect that those entities are going to want something in return.

[montgjules]

Gonna go out on a limb here--what's wrong with the top administrators making six figures? The head of any large organization is going to be well-paid. So if the school districts don't offer a competitive salary, top brass will simply go somewhere else to earn more. Which would leave underqualified people filling top positions. Perhaps Donk will argue that there are already underqualified people filling those positions. :D

I don't know specifics of the situation, so I could be way off base.

[I_Believe_In_Kreis]

Originally Posted by Stucki

I will be surprised if the school board torpedoes the stadium.

Why?

Read the following quotes:
"There would have to be some very compelling reasons to support the diversion of those funds. I think that will be up to Real and Sandy City and others to provide that convincing evidence to our board." - Burke Jolley, superintendent
"I'd be very hesitant to spend our money on anything not directly benefiting our students in schools all day long." - Lynette Phillips, board member
"I'd hate to see us put our kids at a disadvantage because of a soccer stadium." - Ellen Wallace, board member

If that doesn't sound like a group that wants to torpedo the stadium, I don't know what does. Unless they're just posturing, I guess.

The board members' position reminds me of a quote from King of the Hill, the one where Peggy runs for the school board: "It's for the freakin' children!"

And honestly, I don't care if the JSD brass makes 7 figure salaries or if they get paid in vodka like teachers in Russia. I just want my damn stadium already!

[Donk]

Originally Posted by montgjules

Gonna go out on a limb here--what's wrong with the top administrators making six figures? The head of any large organization is going to be well-paid. So if the school districts don't offer a competitive salary, top brass will simply go somewhere else to earn more. Which would leave underqualified people filling top positions. Perhaps Donk will argue that there are already underqualified people filling those positions. :D

I don't know specifics of the situation, so I could be way off base.

Actually, that was part of it. I agree that in a good organization, the top brass should make more money, however, if you try to say that the Ogden School District is a quality organization, they you obviously have never really looked around.

I guess I like to follow the Japanese that if a business is having problems, the first thing that gets cut is executive salary. I don't think an already oversized bureaucracy needs to get any larger. Maybe I'm just too liberal in my political views for Utah wishing for real accountablility with the school and for responsible spending. Dirty liberals.....

[Donk]

Originally Posted by I_Believe_In_Kreis

"I'd be very hesitant to spend our money on anything not directly benefiting our students in schools all day long." - Lynette Phillips, board member

I love this quote. How much of the money that the Legislature gave to them a counple of years back for new textbooks actually went to buying textbooks? I'm sorry, but my brother last year was using the same textbooks I was that were out of date 10 years. How much does the district spend on things like sports that does not help kids in the classroom? Not to say I don't love high school sports, but let's look at the numbers, even high school football in Utah loses money. Don't belive me, look at how many people actually pay for a ticket at your local , and then look at how much those lights cost to run, the pads, coaches, buses, everything. The stadium might be full, but about every school I know of either lets students in free or at a reduced rate and parents in Utah can get a UHSAA card that gets them reduced admissions as well. Just show me how that helps kids in the classroom to shell out all the money for facilities for sports.

[Jose Luis Luviano]

Originally Posted by I_Believe_In_Kreis

if they get paid in vodka like teachers in Russia.

So where can I pick up an application?