Business Administrator Details How $6.87M Would Be Spent: COLAs, ESP Pay, Innovation Center, Elementary Renovations

At the Aug. 4 Truth in Taxation hearing, Business Administrator Leon Wilcox presented the rationale and breakdown for the district's proposed $6.871 million increase above the certified tax rate. Wilcox described mandated public notices and a timeline of prior budget work and said the district must use the Truth in Taxation process to capture revenue beyond the certified tax rate. "So our proposed rate increase is for 6,871,000. That's a 5.5 percent," he said.

Wilcox outlined allocations: a small percentage of the rate (noted in his slides as "02/1000") would fund a districtwide COLA referenced in the presentation as 0.75% for certain positions; $631,000 was shown for ESP compensation, $205,000 for principals and administrators, and two new Innovation Center teachers planned at roughly $105,000 each. The largest single change was a $4.5 million increase in capital revenues with a corresponding decrease in debt service revenues so the district can begin renovating 13 elementary schools that are over 50 years old as GO debt retires. Wilcox also reminded property owners of assessment‑appeal and senior relief deadlines and said fee‑based activities (cheer, band, uniforms) are typically paid by participant fees except for students approved for fee waivers.

The presentation included sample tax statements showing an estimated average homeowner impact (Wilcox cited about $52 on the average home after accounting for debt‑service decreases) and comparisons of residential and commercial valuation trends in the district. Wilcox encouraged residents who believe their assessments are incorrect to appeal through Salt Lake County by the stated deadlines and directed people to district materials for more detail.