The effects of new law concerning charter school funding passed during the recent legislative session are still unknown, but it looks to some like a lose-lose.

School districts could lose funding, charter schools might lose funding and it may cost you more when it's time to pay property taxes.

As part of the omnibus education funding bill that was passed near the end of the session, charter schools' funding would be split between local property taxes and state income taxes, along with federal funding. They are funded now with only income taxes and federal dollars. The change would mean districts would have to share the local funds they raise through property taxes with charter schools, and charter schools would lose about $100 per student.

Unless districts want to cut budgets, taxes will probably have to increase under the bill, which hasn't been signed by the governor yet. Cathy Dudley, the budget and property tax specialist for the state Office of Education, said she hardly sees a way for districts not to raise taxes.

Rob Smith, business administrator for the Alpine School District, said the effects of the changes are mostly unknown.

"We're still analyzing the options. First we've got to review it with the board," Smith said.

Inside the Alpine School District there are at least 13 charter schools and about 5,000 charter school students. The change could cost the district about $900,000, which Smith called a premature estimate.

However, charter schools are still public, and parents of charter school students pay property taxes.

"From our standpoint, we're glad that our students are treated equally and fairly and like all other public school students," said Lincoln Fillmore, a business administrator for several charter schools in Utah County.

Under the proposal, property taxes would follow students from regular public schools to charter schools.

"We want parity. We just want all public school students to be funded fairly and equally no matter which model of public school they attend," Fillmore said.

However, the way the measure passed in the omnibus bill, charter schools would actually lose about $100 a student. Fillmore called the move a compromise, because without the bill the fate of future charter schools could be jeopardized.

Without the funding change, charter schools would have been unable to grow without an increase in income tax. Dudley said it was getting too expensive to fund them entirely with income taxes and federal funding.

"As the number of charter school students grow," Dudley said, "they were trying to find other means."

Fillmore said that without the measure the state wouldn't have been able to fund any new schools. Then waiting lists would have gotten long and charter schools wouldn't be able to help districts ease the burden of an exploding student population.

• Brittani Lusk can be reached at 344-2549 or at blusk@heraldextra.com.