Well, representative government worked last night—or didn’t.  Depending on which side of the Orem City Council Chambers you stood on last evening, the events culminated in a tremendous victory or horrible defeat.  Either way, the citizens of Orem were represented by their elected officials in a 4-3 dissenting vote.  (A similar scenario played out at the Pleasant Grove City Council meeting.)

Those who claimed government is best which is closest to the people (a quote often attributed to Thomas Jefferson and quoted by Councilman Steve Sandstrom, Republican candidate for Utah State House District 58, who was quoted by one of the advocates for division as he anticipated Sandstrom’s NO vote) voiced their opinions from the right of the Council seats.  Those in opposition to the placement of the measure on the November ballot stood to the left.  The opposition rallied together with the cry that the new statute was ill-crafted and lacked definition by the State Legislature.  The dissenters argument included the belief there were “just too many holes.”  After the dust settled—the battle weary wounded were defeated and went home.

Explosive population growth rates in some regions of our state have made it nearly impossible for some local school boards to properly administer the education of our children.  And, according to Alpine School District, serving and educating OUR children is THEIR primary responsibility (or, is it the responsibility of the parents?  I digress…).  Has the Alpine School District become so administratively cumbersome that we are disadvantaging our children’s education?  Some have voiced their concern that the “well being of our children” is no longer a part of vitriolic bureaucratic arguments and propositions.  Boys and their toys…

Sure, as a co-sponsor of HB77 (Rep. David Cox) I would liked to have seen the ballot measure pass.  Let’s step back for a moment and look at what the new statute does.  By passing HB77 the Legislature gave municipalities, qualifying under the statutory requirements, the option to look at the feasibility of creating new, smaller school districts.  Once the city council has determined the feasibility of creating a new district, they are given the authority to request that the question of whether a new district should be formed be placed on the ballot for consideration by the voters.

Reasonable Solutions For Unintended Consequences

Are there holes in the current law?  Perhaps. Any piece of Legislation, no matter how intelligently written has unintended consequences.  After passing new statute, rule making authority is exercised by sub-divisions of state government, and if the intent of the legislation is not followed by the political subdivision with rule-making authority, the legislature has a statutory process to make sure what the Legislature passed, and what our wildly-popular Governor signs into law, is being followed according to the intent of the body.

Included in the legislative process is the ability to pass additional statute clarifying the intent of the original, intentionally broad-based legislation.  (Seems everybody wants to be micromanaged—even if their lips say they don’t.)  Rep. Brad Daw (R-Orem) presented a viable solution to the valid concerns expressed regarding the initial leeway problems.  His idea…a relatively simple one…hold harmless, or grandfathers in, the leeway for the new district for 24 months…simple…problem solved…next!  Rep. David Cox (R-Lehi) currently conducts a committee to study the implications of his bill (the un-asked and un-answered questions of the new law). 

Within current statute, the dividing entities work out most of the “problems” amongst themselves.  And, if there is an impasse…back to the Legislature for more statute.  (By the way, this is the very process by which we give away our freedom.)

Is The Union Preserved?

Now that the Union has been preserved, and the “South” (or Orem, Vinyard, Lindon, and Pleasant Grove in this case) will not be seceding, we can go on to consider our next major skirmish – whether or not to approve a $230,000,000 bond and $4,000,000 voted leeway increase in November (that one will be on the ballot) – remember, Alpine School District Board claims, its for the children! 

Recent newspaper reports say Orem residents will pay the lion’s share of the cash outlay for the $230,000,000 bond (plus $4,000,000 leeway) and receive a relatively insignificant benefit from its passage.  One of the articles concludes Orem will receive money for only 26% of the bond’s projects; however, Orem property owners will be responsible for paying back 47% of the bond.  Also, important to note is the fact that with declining student enrollment numbers in Orem, property owners will pay an even greater portion (per capita) for the bond over time.  Explosive ASD student population growth isn’t in Orem, its in Lehi, Saratoga Springs, and Eagle Mountain–far, far away from Orem residents and Orem concerns. 

So, although the dissenting Orem City Council votes (Sandstrom, Seastrand, Campbell, and Thurston) appeared to be allies with Alpine School District officials in the defeat of the proposed ballot measure last night, I wouldn’t anticipate the voters in Orem running to the aid of ASD to provide tax dollars for projects “the south” may not benefit from civically.

Separatist or not, Orem’s significant voter base in the Alpine School District will most likely determine whether the bond passes in November—deuce!