Polar Bears, School Kids, and Priorities

The Salt Lake County Council was tasked with deciding whether a vote should go forward to allow school district splits in SL County. Instead, the Council punted, saying that it could not make that decision unless the Legislature first puts a funding equalization formula in place. No recommendations or suggestions on how that formula should look. Just a punt. “It’s your problem.”

Now, though, predictably, people are complaining that the Legislature is up to no good. This article uses the words “steal . . . draconian cuts . . . tax increase . . . hurried and slipshod politics . . . bad public policy.” Oh my.

Equalization, in general, isn’t rocket science. Money goes into a pool and some areas get more than they previously did and other areas get less. Apparently, though, it is just now occurring to folks that equalization will move money from no-growth areas to high-growth areas.

The richest part of this debate, though, is Salt Lake City residents griping that their money might help educate kids on the west side. The injustice! However, there’s apparently nothing wrong with requiring those west side families to pay for Salt Lake City concerns, like better air conditioning for the polar bears at the Hogle Zoo, under the county-wide ZAP tax, instead of the Salt Lake City property tax.

Kids – polar bears. School buildings for children – air conditioning at the zoo. Hmm. Priorities, priorities.

Oh, ya, speaking of which, we’ll be voting on Henry’s Law, to make animal abuse a felony. This item couldn’t wait until the general session, since part of the bill bans Michael Vick from appearing in any NFL games in Utah.

UPDATE (8/22/07): County-wide sales tax AND property tax for the Salt Lake City zoo. Equalization for bears, yes. Kids, no.