Likely voters in the Salt Lake City School District would probably support a bond proposal to pay for new buildings at three of the city’s high schools, a survey has found.
The district is considering a $750 million bond, to cover reconstruction costs for West and Highland high schools, and for a new field house at East High School. The district’s board will make a decision in August about whether to put a bond proposal before voters, said Yándary Chatwin, a spokesperson for the district.
Such a bond, Chatwin said, would add about $300 a year in property taxes for someone who owns a house with the area’s average market value of $576,000.
If approved by voters, Chatwin said, construction would start as soon as possible. Work on West and Highland — two of the oldest school buildings in the city — would take between 7 and 10 years, she said. Bond issues like this can only be used on capital improvements, such as construction; the money cannot be used for standard educational expenses, such as teacher pay or classroom materials, a press release from the board explained.
The survey, presented last week to the board and conducted by the Salt Lake City-based public research firm Y2 Analytics, produced three major findings:
• People who were surveyed were randomly presented with one of three dollar amounts for a bond proposal — $750 million, $600 million and $300 million. Participants in the survey showed support at all three levels, and the largest proposal had the most support.
• The bond proposals were more popular, the survey found, when they focused on the district’s aging facilities. For example, West High’s current building opened in 1922 and Highland opened in 1956, making them some of the oldest school builidings along the Wasatch Front. Participants responded most positively to language that emphasized the bond would update those facilities, and to references to the Salt Lake City School District as a “visible flagship” to education across Utah.
• The survey also found that voters need more context about the district’s current needs and successes. A spokesperson for Y2 Analytics advised the board to engage and educate voters better before the bond proposal is released.
The survey was conducted between May 15 and June 9, using email and text messages across the school district. A total of 556 responses were compiled — 40% from the area where Highland students live, 32% from East’s neighborhoods and 28% from West’s. Y2 Analytics weighed the data, based on voter turnout probability, which considers such factors as age, sex and party registration.
The survey will release to the public in the coming weeks, Chatwin said. District residents, she said, should reach out to their school board members to express their thoughts, concerns or support before the bond proposal is finalized.
