Dear Senator/Representative [Name of recipient],
I am your constituent and a taxpayer, and I respectfully oppose Senate Bill 65.
Park City School District (PCSD) already contributes tens of millions of dollars each year through the state’s recapture system. Our taxpayers understand and accept the principle of equitable statewide funding.
However, SB 65 goes beyond redistribution and introduces newandunnecessaryfinancialharm to districts like ours that already contribute disproportionately.
Under SB 65, districts would be required to remit minimum basic levy funds to the state before those same dollars are returned. This change has three concrete fiscal impacts:
Loss of interest earnings. PCSD currently earns interest on locally held funds, which helps offset operating costs. Based on typical district cash balances and current interest rates, this represents hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in lost revenue, money that directly supports teachers, classrooms, and student services.
Loss of local cash-flow control. Forcing districts to send funds to the state and wait for reimbursement removes local financial management flexibility and creates timing risk. Districts still must meet payroll, vendor contracts, and bond obligations on fixed schedules, regardless of when funds are returned.
No offsetting tax relief. SB 65 does not reduce local tax rates or recapture obligations. PCSD taxpayers would pay the same amount, while the district receives less usable funding in return.
The result is a net financial penalty on districts like PCSD with no added transparency, no measurable equity gain, and no educational benefit.
While the loss of interest income and fiscal flexibility may appear modest in the context of the state budget, it is material at the district level, particularly during a period of rising costs.
Further, SB 65 reroutes locally generated property tax dollars for schools into the state’s general fund, where there is no requirement to spend these dollars on educational purposes.
I respectfully urge you to oppose SB 65 or amend it so that districts retain local control of funds they already generate and already contribute. Equity should not come at the expense of financial efficiency, sound fiscal management, or local accountability.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[your name]
