TAX ALERT!
	From The Utah Taxpayers Association
	1578 West 1700 South #201, Salt Lake City, Utah 84104 PH 972-8814 FX 973-2324

June 21, 2006

To: Taxpayers in Washington School District

Re: Proposed Bond

As part of the primary election on Tuesday, June 27, Washington School District voters will be asked to approve or reject a $150 million bond to pay for the construction or renovation of fourteen schools. Voters will also be asked to approve a voted leeway which would pay for: reading intervention, increased teacher compensation, and provide a growth formula to meet accountability standards.

Voter participation is expected to be about 10% of registered voters. Your Taxpayers Association is seeking legislation to require these types of tax proposals to be decided only during the November election when voter turnout is higher.

The school board is proposing the following projects as part of the bond:

Four New Elementary Schools

Complete Desert Hills High School

Complete Desert Hills Intermediate School

Hurricane High School Additions or new building

Enterprise school growth

Pine View Middle School Expansion

New Middle School

Hurricane Middle School addition

New Intermediate School (planning for 2012)

New High School (planning for 2012)

Your Taxpayers Association has studied the proposal and met with district officials to discuss the building needs of the district. Residents of the district who know the condition of existing buildings and the need for new buildings should weigh that knowledge in light of proposed bond.

In the past, the Utah Taxpayers Association has opposed some bond elections and voted leeway elections in districts around the state. However, the Association acknowledges the rapid growth in student enrollments in Washington School District and the need for additional buildings. We also recognize the cost of housing in the district posing challenges in attracting teachers to the district. As a result, the Association sees no way of satisfying these educational needs without approval of both the bond and the voted leeway.

Please make copies and distribute them to other voters in the district.