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Matching funds and a new board leeway taxing authority from the Legislature has enticed 23 school districts, nearly twice as many as last year, to raise their property taxes for the Governor's $30 million K-3 Reading Achievement Program. During the 2004 general session the Legislature appropriated $15 million from the Uniform School Fund to school districts. School districts, however, must appropriate an additional $15 million in matching dollars. To facilitate this, the legislature gave local school districts additional authority to impose higher property taxes by creating a new levy.

The Association annually reviews the budgets of local school districts, counties and the state's largest cities. Local school districts and cities are on a July to June budget schedule. County budgets are on a calendar year. To date, twenty-three school districts and one city have indicated they will raise property taxes, while six cities have indicated they are going to raise fees. Members will receive Tax Alerts detailing property tax increases in their area. A step and lane change is a pay increase commonly used in government employment. Step is a pay increase according to an individual's seniority. Lane is a pay increase according to an individual's education or training. It is very rare for a school district to freeze steps and lanes. Most educators receive a pay increase annually due to steps and lanes, even if newspapers state that educators are not receiving pay increases that year.

Ten school districts are proposing to increase property taxes solely for the Governor's Reading Initiative: Box Elder School District, Daggett School District, Duchesne School District, Grand School District, Juab School District, Kane School District, Millard School District, North Sanpete School District, South Summit School District, and Weber School District are proposing to impose the new board leeway (.000121) for the Governor's K-3 reading initiative. The property tax increase on $100,000: (primary resident) $6.66; (business) $12.10.