In these cash-strapped times, at least one lawmaker wants to earn some green for schools by allowing ads on yellow buses.

Rep. Jim Bird, R-West Jordan, is sponsoring a bill that would allow school boards to sell advertising space on the exteriors of school buses. He said the Jordan School District's financial troubles inspired him to run the bill. The Jordan board decided last week to cut hundreds of jobs and increase class sizes to deal with an estimated $30 million budget shortfall next school year.

"This certainly won't save all those jobs, but if we can make the department of transportation in the Jordan School District self-sufficient, we can take the money going to that department and reallocate it and save some of those jobs," Bird said. "If we save one position, it's worth the effort."

Melinda Colton, a spokeswoman for the Jordan district, said "any kind of legislation that would add to our budget would be a welcome relief."

"I think money is short for everyone," Colton said. "Dimes, nickels, whatever -- we'll take whatever we get."

The bill, HB393, would prohibit ads about alcohol, tobacco, drugs, gambling or sexual material and require that advertising be "age appropriate." It would be up to the Utah Department of Transportation to make rules about where and how big the ads could be.

Still, some worry about exposing kids to more commercialization. The Massachusetts-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood has spoken against school bus ads in other states.

And some say it could even lead to distracted drivers around school buses.

"Somebody's reading an advertisement and not realizing that the bus is stopping," said Bob Riley, executive director of the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services. "We want them seeing one thing when they see a school bus, and that's basically a yellow flag of caution."

Plus, he said, not many districts have had great financial success putting ads on buses. The Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District in Texas stopped selling advertising on its buses about five or six years ago because of a lack of interest from advertisers, said Megan Overman, a district spokeswoman.

But Overman said that doesn't mean she would dismiss other districts trying the idea.

"Just because it didn't work for us, doesn't mean it won't work for someone else," Overman said.

The Humble Independent School District northeast of Houston, for example, has earned at least $250,000 since it began putting ads on its buses in fall 2008, said Karen Collier, district spokeswoman. She said the 35,000-student district works with a company that finds, develops, deploys and bills for the ads. And she said a district committee is responsible for deciding whether questionable ads should be displayed.

She also said the district hasn't had any safety problems since the ads went up.

"Buses are big yellow tanks, and an ad on the side is not going to be distracting," Collier said. "They're painted glow-in-the-dark yellow. They're designed to stand out, to be obvious. That's part of their protection."

Some other states also allow ads on buses or, like Utah, are looking at the idea now as a way to ease budget woes.

Carol Lear, director of school law and legislation at the State Office of Education, said the bill could also potentially raise some questions about what's appropriate to advertise. For example, how would a district handle ads from a religious or political group?

She also said, however, that many schools already allow advertisements at sporting and other events. Jordan, for example, already has policies and guidelines about advertising on event programs and in stadiums, Colton said.

A number of Utah parents said Monday they have no problem with placing ads on buses if it helps schools during tough financial times. Some districts have already had to slash school instruction days to deal with cuts made last year.

Bountiful parent Kim Geurts said she doubts kids would even notice ads on buses.

"I don't think they'd pay attention," said Geurts, who has three teenagers and an 11-year-old in the Davis District.

Parent Trissy Bawden, also of Bountiful, called putting ads on buses, "a seemingly simple way to get some money for education which is much needed."

Her husband, Sam Bawden, said he's not as concerned about his four young children being exposed to ads as he is about them suffering the impacts of school budget cuts.

"The education budget is a bigger issue in my mind than commercialization," he said.