School districts accounted for 84 percent of a total $29 million property tax increase in Utah this year, the Utah Taxpayers Association noted.
School districts added $24.5 million to their budgets through local tax increases, with 23 of 40 districts increasing levies, the association reported.Four school districts that have 50 percent of the state's students will gain 70 percent of the $24.5 million. They are Salt Lake, Granite, Jordan and Davis districts, which will collect a total of nearly $17 million in new taxes.
Association President Howard Stephenson said the "sad part is that very little of the school tax increase is going to educate our children. Most of the money is going to bricks and mortar."
Local taxing entities took advantage of the confusion created by the AMAX court decision and subsequent legislation to increase tax burdens, Stephenson said.