Park City School District (PCSD) school kids who are considered "ineligible" for school bus transportation cannot ride the public school bus unless you pay $200 PER child. "Ineligible" kids are considered those that live within a 1.5 mile radius of the school they are attending.

When asked what the $200 per child fee is used for, the answer was that it goes into a pot for under-funded programs which means any program not just transportation. The $200 per child fee is not going to add more buses or routes because your "ineligible" kid gets on a space-available already allocated bus heading to their respective school. This means you pay $200 per child for a seat that would go unused regardless if your child sits in it or not.

According to the Utah Department of Education, PCSD has not asked for additional school buses in more than 4 years. Further more when asked where does funding of buses come from, the answer given was that it's a combination of state funds and PC resident property tax. So not only do "ineligible" families pay property tax, we're double fined because our children live within the 1.5 miles radius.

In academic year 2014-2105 the state reimbursed PSCD 68% of its transportation budget.

Additionally, the $200 fee may be unfeasible to some families for various reasons (family with 3+ kids) which leads to congestion, increase safety concerns for children who are dropped off/picked up, and finally it adds to the pollution problem.

If you would like to attend to discuss this issue and attempt to reduce the ridiculous $200 per child fee for a space that is already available, I encourage you to attend (20 Oct, 5:15pm at the Park City School District Office, 2700 Kearns Blvd.). If you're interested in signing a petition to at least reduce the fee, please do so.

We should not be satisfied with the answer of "well it's always been that way." Just because something "has always been that way" doesn't make it right.

Thank you for your time.