Wasatch School District Budgets

We GRAMA request full budgets every year for you, which is not required by The State of Utah. Please get a look at the largest budget in our county, and where your money is going.  

 NEW!!!  6-6-2024 GRAMA request- WSD-Grama-2025-budget-6-6-24

WSD-fy2025budget Report & Amended 2024 2025- $163,456,444

FY2025-5-year-comparison.xls

8-2024-WSD Debt Service Schedule.pdf

Total School Administration costs: 2021/$4,016,761 — 2022/$4,424,336 — 2023/$4,729,406 —2024/$5,323,390 — 2025/ $6,196,476

YET: Total Wasatch SD Enrollment- 2019/ 7,146 —2020/ 9,061 (covid) —2021/ 8,731 — 2022/ 8,793 — 2023/ 8,667 — projected 2024/ 8,548

6-8-2023 GRAMA request- Full ’24 Budget, amended ’23 budget- WSD GRAMA request 6-8-23   fy24 BUDGET REPORT    (see more GRAMA info below this budget) Here are recent enrollment numbers since 2018- Enrollment- 2018-2023 per district -Utah

2021 – amended- 112,139,818  (original budget presented 98,690,402) $13,449,416 increase?

2022- amended 128,389,413  (original budget 123,249,413) $5,140,000 increase?

2023-  amended-  167,176,588  (original budget 135,077,420)  $32,099,168 increase?

2024- 234,446,919

**WSD budgets for the last 4 years- increased over $135 mil. 

6-8-23 GRAMA request- NEW Business Administrator candidates and credentials- It appears that the candidate with no accounting/financial education, experience, or even a Utah Certified Public Accountant license was awarded the business administrator’s position who will oversee a $234+ MIL annual budget. There were other applicants more qualified based on the school district’s own requirements.  WSD Business Admin qualifications- 2023 Business Admin-Watt application- 3-2023Business Admin-Binghamapplication -3-2023Business Admin-Sampsonapplication-3-2023Bus Admin-Watt announcement- 2023WSD District other promotions announcement 2023     

8-3-23 -Above GRAMA request docs delivered today- Here are the new administration contracts requested. It seems the business administrator does not have a signed contract yet, but started his job July 1, 2023…  Admin Contract- Broadbent   Admin Contract-Brown    Admin Contract-Campbell   Admin Contract-Di Stefano   Admin Contract-Discher   Admin Contract-Edwards    Admin Contract-Hendry   Admin Contract- Iordachescu   Admin Contract-Judd    Admin Contract-King    Admin Contract-Moore      Admin Contract- Rich      Admin Contract-Peterson

From the Wasatch School District website: “A native of Pingree, Idaho, Dr. Watt graduated from Snake River High School in 1990. He attended Brigham Young University, earning his B.S. Summa Cum Laude in Psychology with a minor in business in 1996, followed by an M.S. in Counseling and School Psychology in 1999. Dr. Watt earned an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Utah in 2007, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Utah State University in 2018. See full announcement here.

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6-6-2022 GRAMA request- Full ’23 Budget, amended ’22 budget,  M&O budgets for high school, middle school, and elementary- WSD GRAMA request 6-6-22    FY23 BUDGET REPORT       FY23 5 year comparison     

2019-  84,400,959    2020- 92,648,429

2021 – amended- 112,139,818  (original budget presented 98,690,402) $13,449,416 increase?

2022- amended 128,389,413 (original budget 123,249,413) $5,140,000 increase?

2023-  135,077,420

High school, Timp Middle School and Old Mill Elementary Maintenance & Operations BUDGETS–   fy23 Wasatch High School M&O      fy23 Timp Middle School M&O        fy23 Old Mil Elem M&O

**WSD budgets for the last 6 years- increased over $52 mil. 

2017-  70,391,230    2018-  75,713,673 

2019-  84,400,959    2020- 92,648,429

2021 – amended- 112,139,818  (original budget presented 98,690,402) $13,449,416 increase?

2022- 123,249,413

6-15-2021 GRAMA request-   1. WSD FY22 – BUDGET 

2. The maximum voted leeway tax rates allowed, what funds they go into, and what the rates currently are – I have attached schedule 693 from the Utah Tax Commission website which shows the maximum rate and current rate.  The voted leeway is in the General fund. WSD- Certified tax rates 2021

3. All district administration original, full contracts and any addenda or extensions subsequently approved, including salary and benefits – those contracts are attached (fy21 district admin contracts.pdf).  WSD- Admin contracts- 2021

4. What was specifically cut in the budget, to offset the $4.4 Mil shortfall to WSD due to the County Assessor’s 2019 error? – WSD RESPONSE- The only specific record that responds to this request is the budget spreadsheet previously mentioned.  The $4.4 million was spread over the General, Capital, and Debt Service funds.  In the General fund, the district did not add additional positions that the growth in enrollment would normally require.  This increased class sizes across the entire district.  In the Capital fund, the district had less available funds to purchase additional school sites to handle the growth in enrollment.  In the Debt Service fund, the fund balance was decreased in order to make the required payments of principal and interest.”

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-Our analysis of the 2020 budget- WSD FY 2020 highlighted budget- WTPA   

WSD- FY21 5 year comparison

***** Are you aware that our current capital debt compared to the other school districts, per capita and per student costs is one of the highest in the state?  WSD 2020- debt STATE comparison WTPA  Wasatch School’s DEBT per capita is currently fifth of all Utah districts. With the proposed 2019 Bond for the new 2nd high school building construction of $150 MIL we would have been, far and away, FIRST. In debt. US.  See this – School Dist Debt per capita   (Several districts report NO Debt???) 

-Our observations of this year’s budget:  WSD Budget analysis 2020-WTPA

****Here’s the response to our annual GRAMA request. see list here: GRAMA request 5-24-19     fy20 budget    2015 bond PTIF account statement   Apr 2019 Cap fund balance sheet   RMMS gymnasium contracts   

Highlights, Lowlights and Anomalies in the Wasatch School District 2020 Budget


  • Following past years of amendment examples, the total budget will be soon approaching $100 million – with apparently an accompanying deficit (again).



  • The operation of the ‘community’ school Pool continues to show a LOSS or operating deficit. (Coincidentally about the cost for lifeguards.)



  • Wasatch School’s DEBT is currently fifth of all Utah districts. With the proposed new building construction it will be, far and away, FIRST. In debt. Several districts report NO Debt???



  • About 30% of the budget is (‘General Instruction’) teacher ‘expenses’



  • In the age of computers, TEXTBOOKS are showing massive increases (a little over $1 million), and no ‘computer’ expenses are ‘obvious.’ (Line 214) ?Digital Conversion services UP 85% to $650K? & Line 590 Digital Teaching for $232K



  • How about a tenfold increase in CTE – Information & Manufacturing Technology – CTE (CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION)appears to be undergoing, or have undergone, a major reorganization Or a doubling of “Title III – English Lang Acq” costs.



  • TSSA Program (whatever that might be, new item (?) not mentioned in 2019) will bring in $1 million of “revenue” (Line 592)



  • A new budget item for “Site Improvement” of OVER $3 Million (Line 526)



  • Superindent’s (Loc 500) $175,273 (4.5% increase) (Apparently one new “Director” added ??) (Line 127 et seq)



  • Apparently each school has a Media ‘person’ at an average Salary of $62,000 – Total nearly $500K + benefits. (lines 45 et seq) PLUS Public Relations line 137 for “Administration” *** which totals MORE than:



  • Security “Officer” Line 44 $475,000 (presumably police officers shared with city ???) Loc 704 (WHS) Line 44



  • Principal” Salary $598,694 Loc 704 (WHS) Line 63



  • Line 116 et seq Legislative Pay Increase of $2.4 million incl. FICA, retirement– for whom????



  • Legislative Staff Bonus Allotment” Revenue of $2.1M Line 591



  • Flexible Allocation WPU Dist (revenue) down near $700K Line 588



  • Line 31: “Teacher Inservice” cost dropped by 90% from $227K (2019 amended budget) to $22.5K (which is the same as 2019 original budget)



  • Where is the School Board pay & INSURANCE listed??\



  • Utility costs appear to be decreasing.


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2018- Wasatch School District (WSD) is asking for a 13.80% tax increase at their August 16, 2018 “Truth In Taxation” meeting. Here is our analysis of the most recent budget, as compared to past years, and highlighting some fiscal concerns within our school district. In past years, the citizens have approved a $62 million bond, and the most expensive high school in the state ($80+ million) at the time it was being constructed- 2006-2009. Within 10 years this high school, that was touted to last us 50 years, is now too small. There have been $600K splash pads and $1 million parking lots. Property purchases without appraisals, OR even due diligence to ensure it would accommodate the proposed elementary school. Let alone a $6 million digital conversion (computer devices and curriculum for every student) that only lasts 4 years which is the “life” of the devices and/or software. At some point, the citizens have to analyze WSD’s priority lists and fiscal restraint, as well as the fact that only 5 people on the school board vote on a $84 million ANNUAL budget.

**WSD budgets for the last 4 years- increased over $21.8 mil in 4 years?!

2016-  62,594,605    2017-  70,391,230

2018-  75,713,673     2019-  84,400,959

See full 2018-19 budget here: 2019 WSD Budget analysis  This is OUR analysis, which shows the percentage change from the 2018 amended budget to 2019 proposed budget. It’s the only way to really understand the actual changes (INCREASES).

The 13.80% tax increase on August 16, 2018 is supposed to go for increased teacher’s salaries. Here’s the school district’s explanation: WSD tax increase video   WSD is saying that one of the  needs is to increase teacher’s salaries, so here is the public 2017 teacher’s salary information: 

WSD- admin salaries 2017  See all district, elementary and secondary administration here

WSD- teachers salaries 2017   See comparison of other Utah districts: Utah teacher salary 2016-17      To find this info yourself, and click each category to find different categories, names, funds, etc go here: Transparent.utah.gov

***School Budget Analysis-
The school budget is presented to the public, as usual, without showing any projected percentage changes from year to year, making it nearly impossible to make rational decisions by simply looking 6 to 8 digit figures. (We did our own comparison on this page, for you. 2019 WSD Budget analysis
When this year’s budget (2018) was amended (increased) a couple months ago, a large portion was for teacher salaries.  For the upcoming 2019 budget of which is a 13% budget increase, a major portion is again salaries.  It is not clear if the increase is due to salary increases or additional hiring, or staffing because of enrollment growth.
In 2014 the voters of Wasatch County turned down a County pool, many voters realized this would raise taxes too much., expenses would be far higher than projected, and it would be a huge financial burden. They voted against it, even though Wasatch School District passed a resolution of support to donate $238,000 annually for the operation of THAT pool. 
With the failure of the county pool bond, WSD combined a slightly smaller (less expensive?) school pool combined with new Middle School, suggesting this would be more efficient ( and would draw more people into voting for both. (The school board told the voters the pool would cost $10 MIL, but the total cost now is over $14 MIL- scroll down to see GRAMA request)
For 2019, the new budget shows a 63% increase in pool operating costs with a 26% increase in revenue for a projected operating loss of $543,443, more than DOUBLING the 2014 school’s proposed cost.
 

***Here’s a quick analysis of POOL expenses- over half a MILLION in pool 2019 debt alone.  As we reported before the 2015 bond election, the WSD’s projected pool maintenance and operation costs were too LOW! And the school district said the pool would cost $10 mil, but they spent $14.3 mil instead (scroll down page for GRAMA request info) . Below chart is best seen on laptop. If you are on a phone, see it on this document:  POOL expenses so far 2018

890   2018 budget 2018 amended
  2019 Budget % change $ change
REVENUE line 616
000 Pool 538,269.00 538,269.00 0.0% 878,443.00 63.2% 340,174.00 335,000.00
421 Water & Sewer 6,046.00 6,046.00 0.0% 6,780.00 12.1% Pool Loss= 543,443.00
625 Natural Gas 62,322.00 62,322.00 0.0% 54,350.00 -12.8% 2014 WSD offer 283,000.00
626 Electricity 29,775.00 29,775.00 0.0% 97,611.00 227.8% 67,836.00  
197 Life Guard Salary 317,330.00 317,330.00 0.0% 539,156.00 69.9% 221,826.00 273,019.00
210 State Retirement 33,629.00 33,629.00 0.0% 41,424.00 23.2%    
220 Social Security 24,276.00 24,276.00 0.0% 37,805.00 55.7%  
 
240
Group Insurance
49,891.00
49,891.00
0.0%
52,567.00
5.4%
 
 
A few highlights of the REST of the budget:
Teacher Salaries up 8.6%, insurance & retirement up 11.2%  See insurance document
District Administration budget up 15.3%, insurance up 29.7% 
Professional Development budget total will go up only 7%, and salaries drop by half, but Digital Conversion Specialist get 27 % more.
Chance of the budget passing the Board after little ‘Truth.’ but abundant ‘Taxation’  = 100% ( and so will the mid year adjustment increase)

Pre-School     up 31%  $316,255, but group insurance up 67%
School Security Officers   up 461%
Public Relations up 667%
Pool Electricity cost TRIPLES

School Nurses Budget DOUBLES
Total for “Group Insurance” appears to be $8,948,503.00.
 
 
**** But here’s the reality of how our school district compares to others.  Go to this website to compare your kids’ schools to similar school in the state!    Click this page to see how our district scores (scroll down page to see individual school grades).     Sage test website – to check student testing.     Go to this website – to see what grade our schools and district get?(Hint, most of our school grades have gone down in the past couple years. click on “school grade details” to see)    This links to the history of all reports.    Wasatch District enrollment reports compared to all districts in state.
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*****GRAMA request-  In response to our May 23, 2018 request, here are the following documents:
  1. Wallsburg fiber project costs and contracts (WSD got internet line to Wallsburg),   WSD- Wallsburg fiber project 2018
2. Final tally? of capital projects associated with the $62 MIL 2016 general obligation bonds (2 schools and the pool)  POOL expenses 2018  The school district told the public before the bond election that the pool would cost $10 mil, but they spent $14.3 mil instead. Construction costs on total expense document says $12.5 mil, but the SIGNED construction contract was for $11.8 mil!  See here: POOL-Westland Construction Contract 5-2016   Not what was reported to the public in 2015.
and

Middle School – Construction contract

and 

Daniel Elem expenses 2018

Elementary- Construction Contract 2016

Stay tuned for more info…..

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2017- June 15th, 6:30 pm at the Wasatch Education Center (101 E. 200 N., Heber) is the public hearing for the 2018 school district budget. 
WSD-2018-5-year-AFR Comparison
WSD-2018-fiscal-year-2018        2018-5-year-AFR

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June 2016- Total revenue for WSD has increased by just over $16 million in 4 years. With a total enrollment reported in 2015 of 5953, that is almost $12,000 a student.

years:  2013         2014                 2015                   2016                 2017    

 54,361,27157,674,35762,140,20062,594,60570,391,230

Wasatch School Board of Education Budget Hearing & Board Meeting will be at the Wasatch Education Center, 101 East 200 North, Heber on Tuesday, June 14, 2016, at 6:30 pm. SEE THE FULL BUDGET BELOW!

May 27-2016-  We GRAMA requested a full, unabridged budget from WSD for you to review.  Crunch the numbers yourself, PLEASE!  (Save to your computer first, then open- Excel spreadsheets)                      WSD Budget-fy17    WSD – fy17 5 year afr comp   WSD- fy17 accounting codes

**** Wasatch 2016 employee salaries and benefits in excel spreadsheet- WSD-2016-employee-salaries-tranparent-gov (you may have to download onto your computer first, then open file)

**** 2015 EMPLOYEE salaries and benefits  WSD 2015 employee compensation transparent.gov    WSD employee BENEFITS 2015- transparent.gov   (you may have to download to your computer first to read

***Wasatch School 2015 Bond Project Update  Click that link to see where the Wasatch School District “saved” $.57 million on the 2 school construction projects (Although we stated the summer of 2015, before the bond election, that the costs quoted by WSD BOND were way over budget to the other elementary and middle schools built in UTAH in the last 2 years) CLICK HERE for our comments prior to the election.  Our research on school construction last year has now been shown to be accurate.  The pool, however is now 30% over budget from $10 mil to $14.3 mil. 

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2015  –  Are you aware that the Wasatch School District’s expenditures have increased almost $14 MILLION in just 5 years? From $50,346,317 in 2011 to $64,274,984 in 2015?

On Tuesday, June 16, 2015 6:30 PM in the Wasatch County School District Office located at 101 E 200 N, Heber City, Utah there will be a PUBLIC HEARING on the Wasatch School District 2015 budget.            See agenda here 

 We GRAMA requested a full, unabridged budget from WSD for you to review                                       (download to your computer first) WSD- budget fy16 5 year afr comp     WSD FY16 budget                       Here’s what the district releases to the public: WSD’s  published 2016 Proposed Budget .                 

*** A computer device for every child is called Digital Conversion

We GRAMA requested how much we have/will spend on this: (may have to download to your computer first) digital conversion expenses 6-2015 // this is $5,734,335 or $1,004/student just for Rocky MT Middle, Wasatch High, and Timpanogos Intermediate Schools!   The red highlighted items are increases over the current budget, green highlights items that have decreased. It appears there may be some accounting and/or organizational restructuring in many areas. Another column shows the year end increase for this year. 

  • Note that the 2016 is % change from the Original budget, NOT the amended, because these figures will be increased again at the end of the year as has been done routinely in recent years.
  • Note also there appears to be no further expenditures on computers or digital equipment, upon which the District spent over $5 MILLION in the last few years.
  • Note that Proposed Expenditure EXCEED the proposed Revenues by OVER $3 MILLION (aka DEFICIT BUDGET or transferring from other funds)
  • Note $2 Million for the new Bus Garage and another million for other capital projects.

  • Local Other in Revenues MAY be for Old WHS property??

***GRAMA Request (8-28-15) denied for digital device purchase contracts. The school district says they “do not exist” in this email dialogue: 

“3.  All digital device and software curriculum contracts with all suppliers – the contract with the digital curriculum supplier is attached.  There are no contracts for the purchase of the devices, and the cost of the devices was supplied to you in the response to a previous GRAMA request. — Keith Johansen, Business Administrator”

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2014

On Tuesday, June 17, 2014 6:30 PM in the Wasatch County School District Office located at 101 E 200 N, Heber City, Utah there was a PUBLIC HEARING on the Wasatch School District 2015 budget.  We GRAMA requested a full, unabridged budget from WSD- WSD Budget FY15 .                                                     Are you aware that the Wasatch School District’s collected revenue has increased OVER $11 MILLION in just 4 years? From $50,346,317 in 2011 to $61,528,807 in 2014?                                                                 **** 5 year comparison-  fy15 5 year afr comp     More info on this year’s budget

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2013
Since our 5-23-13 GRAMA request was DENIED
by the Wasatch School District superintendent for the full, unabridged 2014 proposed budget, we met with the Utah grama ombudsman and the superintendent and business administrator on Monday, June 10th.  The Wasatch School District has released the information to us Thursday, June 13th, and we are in process of determining it’s completeness. See released budgets : WSD- fiscal year 2014 excel      WSD- FY 2014 budget- extra info

The WSD 2014 budget public hearing  is on TUES., June 18, 2013, 7pm at the Wasatch Education Center (old North School). at 101 E 200 N, Heber City, 84032          435 654-0280

Our question to the school board is do you support full transparency of the Wasatch School District, or are you hiding something from Wasatch County taxpayers? The school board also refused to allow us on last year’s September school board agenda to discuss the 2013 budget, and may be ignoring state law on excessive reserves, referenced in our white paper found on our website, which results in higher taxes for all of us. ****Your board members are President- Blaik Baird blaik.baird@wasatch.edu  801 735-4945, Vice Pres. – Debbie Jones debbie.jones@wasatch.edu  435 654-1664, Ann Horner ann.horner@wasatch.edu   435 654-1804, Shad Sorenson shad.sorensen@wasatch.edu  435 657-9492, and Mark Davis mark.davis@wasatch.edu  801-822-4726.  If you support our efforts, please write or call them to demand they release a full budget to us immediately so we have time to analyze and share. Please let the WTPA know if you get a response before the budget hearing on June 18, 2013. Please email, or copy us on your original email to the board, at wasatchtaxpayers@gmail.com.

Our original  5-23-13 GRAMA request- WSD- GRAMA 5-23-13    asking for FULL original contracts with all terms and conditions for these positions. What was delivered:superintendent contract-2013 GRAMA ,business administrator contract-2013 GRAMA, auditor contract-2013 GRAMA,   Supt. says these one page administration contracts, totalling more than $350,000 in salaries anually, are the only contracts that exist for these 3 positions…..?           teacher basic contract-2013 GRAMA

Supt. Shoemaker’s denial after appeal- Supt. GRAMA Denial T Taylor 6 6 13

The budget posted to their WSD  website is too vague for us to analyze, and WTPA received more info last year when we GRAMA’d the same type of full budget.

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The WSD held a budget work session meeting on Wednesday April 24, 2013 at 9am, clear up at the Daniels Summit Lodge 30 minutes away from Heber. On the agenda was the 2014 budget discussion and HOW to get the PUBLIC more involved and to have their voices heard….. Here are the documents and the recording of this very important meeting.

AGENDA-   http://listserv.utah.gov/cgi-bin/wa?A2=PMN-1878;c3980317.13

Documents for meeting.   PPT- studysession4-24-2013

study session- 4-24-13 state revenue fy14

study session-4-24-13 Enrollment Growth fy14

study session-4-24-13 FY14 Budget Considerations

****Daniels Summit, recording part 1- WCSD Daniels Summit Lodge Meeting 042413 A–  local school district funding 101, 32:30 min. into recording business administrator talks about total dollars for 2013 budget is $1.5 mil better than expected.  37:00 min into recording school board compares spending taxpayer’s money to doing drugs “Just say no”.  37:30 into -All total expenses. 40:00 min into- better fiscal situation than last year. 41:00 min. supt. introduction to digital conversion. Digital conversion presentation by secondary curriculum director, Paul Sweat. $1 million for next (1) year, 6th and 7th grades! following years, high school conversion.

****Daniels Summit, recording part 2- WCSD Daniels Summit Lodge Meeting 042413 B – Budget considerations- proposed expenses since school district has more money collected for 2013.

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2013 KSL report on WPU (weighted pupil unit) state money and where it’s allocated. This is explaining state money sent to each local school district from the legislature’s funding.  Below is concentrated on property taxes levied by the local school district, and if the local taxes are being efficiently spent.

school moneyThe Wasatch Taxpayers Association produced a White Paper on the issue of the Wasatch School District’s financial responsibility and delivered it to the school board.  WTPA requested to be put on the September 2012 school board meeting agenda, and was denied. The WSD did respond with the letter attached here:

****White Paper- WSD Volume1, Issue 1 8-29-2012

****Wasatch School District- White paper response 9-10-2012

****Olson v SLC School District – 1986 lawsuit on 5% unassigned funds issue.

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****WTPA requests a $5 million tax decrease from Wasatch School District for 2013 budget.

To those of you who were unable to attend the WSD budget public hearing in July 2012, or those who want to recall the Business Administrator’s,  and the WSD Board’s, response to our concerns about the 5% unassigned funds please watch video:

****  Video  WSD School Budget Hearing July 19, 2012  WSD reply to our questions on the 5% unassigned funds. (download it then open it to play it if link does not pull up)

The WSD handout they reference in this video is here:   WSD- their handout budget hearing 7-2012

WTPA handout of WSD unassigned fund balance history:  WTPA handout WSD budget 7-2012

WTPA will be continually working toward developing an open, and transparent relationship with the WSD.  We look forward to more opportunities to be able to communicate the idea of  fiscal accountability to the Wasatch School District, as well as the other public entities in Wasatch County.

Based on the figures that were supplied to the Wasatch County taxpayers by the Wasatch School District, the Wasatch Taxpayers Association is calling for a conservative $5 Million reduction in property taxes, from the existing unassigned cash funds, for the adopted 2013 budget year. The cut would not affect the day to day operations of the school district.

WTPA welcomes the opportunity to discuss with the WSD the apparent budget increases that are shown in the documents below.

****WTPA PowerPoint Presentation of WSD’s 2013 Budget

**** WTPA-Press Release-WSD tax cut 7-2012

**** WTPA – Eye Opening Summary of 2013 WSD Budget

The WTPA Board invited the Wasatch School Board to attend our General Membership meeting this past Tuesday (July 17, 2012), to help us understand the current budget % increases in the context of day to day business. In an effort to work with the School Board, the WTPA Board extended an invite to discuss and work with the School Board to resolve School Budget issues. Blaik Baird was the only current school board member to attend.

The Wasatch Taxpayers Association is calling for a conservative property tax cut from Wasatch School District (WSD) in their adopted 2013 budget of at least $5 Million. SAVINGS- on a $300,000 home, the reduction of taxes would be $194.00 a year, and will not affect the day to day operations of WSD.

Over the past few years, revenues and expenditures for the Wasatch School District have far exceeded the increase in student enrollment. In analyzing the 2011 WSD amended budget, WTPA has found apparent unassigned reserves, or slush funds, nearing 9 million. In the FY 2013 budget there are still millions of unassigned reserves, and the total budget is $53 million.

UTAH STATE CODE 53A-19-103. Undistributed reserve in school board budget. (1) A local school board may adopt a budget with an undistributed reserve. The reserve may not exceed 5% of the maintenance and operation budget adopted by the board in accordance with a scale developed by the State Board of Education. The scale is based on the size of the school district’s budget.

Since a 49.33% unsubstantiated tax increase in 2007, approximately 23 million has already been spent, without a public bond election, to finish the new high school, build a 3.1 million football stadium, and to add on to an existing elementary. It is not clear which fund(s) this was drawn from, and WTPA would appreciate an explanation from the WSD.

The WSD Board of Education’s online statement of purpose does not mention fiscal responsibility, nor do they acknowledge any fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers who elect them and who they are representing. As the WTPA, we are eager to work with the Wasatch School District to remedy this oversight in being fiscally responsible to the patrons of the district they serve.
WSD Board of Education has put the already adopted 2013 budget out for a public 30 Day Review, after quickly adopting it in June 2012, without adhering to the state code to post the budget to the public at least 10 days prior to adoption.

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*******First public hearing (recording) on 2013 budget adoption without the required 10 day posting of budget to public.

June 14, 2012 WSD Board Meeting Audio  – 38:00 into recording public comments (1st comment WTPA budget protest announced), 47:00 citizen asks for WSD attorney to answer questions posed, 53:00 school board president says it’s better to violate 1 code instead of 2 codes, attn. doesn’t correct her)

Wasatch School District 2013 Budget for 6-14-12 public hearing
WSD- 2013 proposed budget  – excel spreadsheet

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Wasatch School District 2014 Budget                                                                                                     2014 budget-WSD

Wasatch School District 2012 Budget

WSD-Proposed_FY2012_Budget

Wasatch School District 2011 Budget
WSD-FY_11_Budget

Wasatch School District 2010 Budget
WSD-FY_10_Budget

Wasatch School District 2009 Budget
WSD-FY 09 Budget

Wasatch High School Construction Budget Update
WSD-WHS_Final_Cost-Updated-Nov2009
Last Update November 25, 2009

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