The Salt Lake City School District is hosting its final school bond open house before the election

SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City School District made a final in-person push Wednesday night before Election Day to educate voters about a $730 million bond issue to rebuild two high schools and fund other projects.

At the last of three open houses, residents and district parents viewed information boards, asked questions and chatted with school board members about the district’s wishes.

“The bond addresses four broad categories. “First, it’s about rebuilding West High, second, it’s about rebuilding Highland High School, third, it’s about adding a field house at East High School, and fourth, it’s about making sustainability improvements throughout the district,” said Salt Lake School District spokesman Yándary Chatwin City.

She explained that if approved, property taxes would increase by $38.33 per $100,000 of home value per year. For businesses, Chatwin explained, the tax would be $67.70 per $100,000 of business value.

The school district expects the bond to take about 25 years to pay off, Chatwin said.

“It is important for voters to understand the impact this bond would have, particularly on their home and family,” she said.

At the open day on Wednesday, foam boards with illustrations, plans and bullet point information provided deeper insights into each of the four financing categories.

“We are here with some experts. We have our architects who have been working on feasibility studies for the high schools here to answer questions,” Chatwin said. “So you’ll learn why it’s necessary to rebuild some of our schools, what the projects would do in terms of sustainability and then just everything that encompasses all of that.”

Chatwin made it clear that the district is not trying to sway voters one way or the other.

“We want to make sure voters feel like they have the information to make a decision and make their voice heard in this election,” she said.

Parent Sharen Hauri stopped by the open house and said she spends a lot of time at Highland High, where two of her children attend school.

She said she “thinks about what the high school does and what our kids get out of it. “I think the school district does a pretty good job with the schools.”

Hauri wondered whether new school buildings were the right way to spend taxpayer money in the coming decades and had questions about the plans at the open house that went beyond the architectural and cosmetic aspects.

“The things that happen in the buildings, from sustainability to educational changes or improvements, I think are the important part of it,” Hauri said. “Because we are here to help our children learn, and then hopefully the changes would result in cost savings in both maintenance and energy use.”

It was important for her to include the information because, according to Hauri, schools are community centers.

“We should think deeply about what value it has to the community and how much we are willing to invest in it and whether this is the right project at the right time,” she said.

She is now ready to cast her vote.

“Yes,” said Hauri, laughing. “I look forward to voting.”

For anyone who missed the three open houses, the Salt Lake City School District is providing information about the bond online.