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J. Michael Clara801-521-3223 . donMiguelSLC@gmail.com974 S. 1400 W .. Salt Lake City' Utah USA

6 August 2013

OPEN LETTERDistrict 2 NeighborsGlendale CommunityPoplar Grove CommunitySalt Lake City, Utah 84104

Re: Truth in Taxation

Dear Neighbor,

I am presenting this letter to those of you that have expressed concern over the School District'sproposed tax increase.I am voting against the proposed tax increase recommendation presented to the School Board bythe Business Administrator Janet Roberts and Superintendent McKell Whithers. In large part becausethere was never any clear reason presented to require an increase. The information presented by theBusiness Administrator was contradictory and inconsistent throughout the budget process. The BusinessAdministrator either refused or was unable to answer budget questions with any amount of clarity.While I could cite many examples, I present one for your consideration. At the May 7,2013, SchoolBoard meeting we were presented with a document titled:

IMPACT OF 2013 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

This same document is presented in the August 6, 2013, school board meeting agenda as justificationfor the proposed tax increase. One of the school programs listed on the document is Enhancements forAccelerated Students. The document states that this program lost a total of $255,676.00 and willrequire a tax increase in order to maintain this program at its current level. There are two reasons stated,both of which are attributed to a failure on the Utah State Legislature's part:

#1 - Failure to Fully Fund Growth (Required to not cut the current programs)#2 - WPU Shortfall to Cover State Retirement and Associated Employee Cost

"Local school boards are the bedrock of our society, yet they .1, ~.Senor Howz -Dest'>wt News

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When comparing last year's State funding to this year; the District actually received an increase offunding for this program.In the previous budget cycle the State gave the Salt Lake City School District $204,620.00 for theEnhancement for Accelerated Students program.In the current budget cycle the State is giving the District $205,638.00, which is as you can see, anincrease from the previous year. Not a 'shortfall' as we have been lead to believe.Yet, our Business Administrator is telling us that this program is $255,676.00 short this year because ofthe legislature's failure to 'fully fund growth' and a 'WPU shortfall'.As you can see, the numbers as presented simply don't add up. Any effort on my part to receive acredible and believable explanation to this discrepancy met with negative results.At this point, all I can do is act in the office to which you elected me and exercise my part of the 'powerof the purse' (Federalist 58 & 78) and cast a NO VOTE on the proposed tax increase.

Shalom,

.,/~---- .--_._ ..-----J. Michael ClaraBoard Member, District 2

cc: Boardof Education MeetingEnclosures(2)

P.S. I am also troubled by the fact that this year, the School Board awarded a 6'Yo increase to theSuperintendant and voted to give our employees a meager 1Yo increase. In an effort to rectify thisdisparity, I proposed an amended to the budget in our June meeting that was voted down.

For more information please refer to my blog: www.MichaeIClara.com

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Failure to Fully Fund Growth WPU Shortfall to Cover State(Required to Not Cut Current Retirement and Associated FederalPrograms) Employee Costs SequestrationCharter School Local Replacement (InAddition to the 2008 Property TaxIncrease of $300,000) 225,000Educator Salary Adjustment 275,000

(retirement increase not funded byLegislature)Base Program 950,000Enhancements forAccelerated Students' 220,000 35,676Enhancements for At Risk Students 350,000 56,757K-3 Reading/OEK 400,000 64,865Title I 280,000 102,162 350,000Title II 150,000 35,676 70,000

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ACCELERATED ACCELERATED ACCELERATED ENHANCEMENT FOR CONCURRENTLEARNING LEARNING LEARNING ACCELERATED ENROLLMENT

GIFTED& TALENTED ADV. PLACEMENT INT'L. BACCALAUREATE STUDENTSPgm:5331, Rev:3211 Pgm:5332, Rev:3212 Pgm:5612, Rev:3612 TOTAL Pgm:5333, Rev:3213

10 LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY $2,510,194 $1,538,506 $100,000 $4,148,700 $8,893,300DOLLARS DOLLARS DOLLARS DOLLARS DOLLARS01 Alpine $298,121 $219,922 $518,043 $459,68802 Beaver 6,453 565 7,018 42,84503 Box Elder 45,131 15,179 60,310 79,03704 Cache 65,821 32,123 97,944 223,18805 Carbon 13,831 3,177 17,008 18,55306 Daggett 859 - 859 "8,68607 Davis 279,257 277,533 19,324 576,114 468,72508 Duchesne 20,591 - 20,591 70,43509 Emery 9,512 1,483 10,995 21,64810 Garfield 3,906 141 4,047 10,72711 Grand 5,848 212 6,060 7,45812 Granite 271,385 181,445 12,851 465,581 288,78813 Iron 35,197 9,037 44,234 79,87114 Jordan 215,108 115,352 330,470 403,82715 Juab 9,739 494 10,233 53,67915 Kane 5,108 5,108 18,27717 Millard 11,525 11,525 45,32418 Morgan 11,188 6,425 17,613 31,76819 Nebo 127,179 61,988 189,167 190,47420 North Sanpete 9,773 212 9,985 31,09321 North Summit 4,111 635 4,746 23,10722 Park City 18,430 60,646 79,076 57723 Piute 1,274 - 1,274 6,93524 Rich 2,035 - 2,035 31,79825 San Juan 13.,289 918 14,207 35,40526 Sevier 19,406 565 19,971 44,68827 South Sanpete 13,101 - 13,101 43,97528 South Summit 6,115 1,059 7,174 51,02229 Tintic 996 - 996 1,70330 Tooele 58,355 7,625 65,980 149,40031 Uintah 30,653 2,118 32,771 36,79832 Wasatch 24,959 18,003 42,962 123,34433 Washington 109,031 28,664 137,695 166,33734 Wayne 2,162 - 2,162 15,88335 Weber 127,186 55,492 182,678 259,43736 Salt Lake 94,662 82,250 28,726 205,538 39,85037 Ogden 50,915 10,095 4,545 65,556 59,54838 Provo 57,625 46,102 5,542 110,369 80,29839 Logan 24,191 28,593 52,784 52,54140 Murray 26,725 17,933 44,558 100,14342 Canyons 139,746 157.,960 23,367 331,073 253,380Charters 239,695 20,405 4,545 264,645 606,910Other Institutions - - - - -Unallocated $ - 64,144 $ - 54,144 4,154,930

TOTAL $ 2,510,194 $ 1,538,506 $ 100,000 $ 4,148,700 s 8,893,300

RELATED TO BASIC: SPECIAL POPULATIONS2013-2014 LEGISLATIVE ESTIMATES f'

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