“Our Schools Now” Ballot Initiative

Guest Speaker Alisa Ellis -State School Board Member

The "Our Schools Now" initiative wants to wring another $700 Million each year from the people of Utah to spend on education. This is about a" $35 a month tax hike for the average Utahn", according to an article on Fox13now.com dated August 1st.

According to an article by Connor Boyack in the Salt Lake Tribune of December 3rd last year, a Cato Institute study covering the last 40 years on state spending for education finds that:... there is no correlation between what states spend on education and their measured educational outcomes. As for Utah, the report notes that per-pupil spending has increased since 1972 by 60 percent on top of inflation while, over that same period, SAT scores have actually declined by as much as seven percent. Put simply, more money does not equate to "improved student learning" or "greater outcomes."

Utah does indeed have problems in the state run education system. But more money won't fix them. We invite everyone to come listen to State School Board member Alisa Ellis explain why this ballot initiative needs to be defeated.