Granite School District plans teacher raises without a tax hike
Apr 25, 2019, 2:27 PM
Sydnee Dickson, Utah State superintendent of public instruction, discusses how common ground on education in Utah can be reached. (Photo: Adobe Stock)
(Photo: Adobe Stock)
SOUTH SALT LAKE — The Granite School District is proposing raises for all their teachers, the same week the Canyons School District announced it is planning to raise salaries. But Granite leaders say their proposal comes without a tax hike – or increased insurance premiums.
“We are pleased to be able to do this without any health insurance premium increases, and perhaps even more important, any tax increase for our taxpayers,” said Ben Horsley, the Granite district spokesman.
Currently, teachers in the Granite School District make between $43,000 and $84,000 per year. If this proposal is ratified, all 3,500 teachers in the district would get an 8.7% pay raise, plus a 3% holiday bonus.
Horsley says they want to emphasize their great benefits package, too. He says the Granite health insurance plan is self-funded, which allows for richer benefits at lower costs.
“I think other districts will advertise larger starting salaries, but at the end of the day, our employees are walking home with more money in their pockets,” Horsley said.
Horsley also called Granite’s new wellness clinic innovative. It provides free healthcare to employees and their families.
“We strongly feel that this agreement will provide the best overall compensation to create a happy and healthy environment for our employees,” he said.
The agreement lengthens the teacher contract to 190 days, which will be the longest teacher contract in the state of Utah, according to the school district.
Horsley says the Board of Education and Granite Education Association are expected to both sign off on the agreement soon.
