Prompted by a looming east-side defection from the Jordan School District, West Jordan commissioned a feasibility study to see if it should let constituents vote in November on forming their own district.

The study, released Friday, revealed a new district would be viable, but it would have to raise its share of property taxes by 16 percent on a $300,000 West Jordan home. And South Jordan, Riverton, Herriman and Bluffdale - if left with the remainder of the Jordan School District after east-siders bailed - would see a 27 percent increase on the portion of property taxes collected for schools.

But Rep. Steven Mascaro, R-West Jordan, said he doubts the east-side cities - Sandy, Draper, Cottonwood Heights and Midvale - will be able to get their district split proposal on the ballot this fall. The County Council, which has to allow unincorporated areas to participate in the vote, likely won't approve the measure, he said.

"There is no emergency about having to make the decision about [a West Jordan district] now," Mascaro said. "It can wait until the general [legislative] session solves the equalization problem.

"We have an east-west war going on that's not healthy for any of us."

To prevent property tax spurts on the west side if school districts divide, many are pushing for the Legislature, in a special session, to require that expenses for new schools be shared evenly statewide.

Mascaro said a special session is doubtful and wouldn't allow enough time for lawmakers to address the flaws, which also include boundary and constitutional issues, in the 2006 law that allows district splits.

Mascaro and Rep. Jim Bird, R-West Jordan, said they would support legislation to equalize capital costs among school districts.

Nearly two dozen people attended the hearing, and about half of them spoke out.

Mary Bailey, principal of Copper Hills High School in West Jordan, and Peggy Jo Kennett, a member of the Jordan School District Board of Education, shared their personal reservations about pursuing a city-wide district.

"It's harder to reproduce the level of [academic] programs [currently offered in Jordan School District] in a smaller district," Kennett said. "That's my No. 1 concern: the loss of educational opportunities for students."

Bailey said a West Jordan district "has promise," but "if we allow the residents of West Jordan to vote on flawed legislation, we don't do them a service."

The City Council plans to delay taking action on a district ballot measure until early September to see whether the east split moves ahead and whether lawmakers convene in a special session.

Most council members expressed willingness to wait another year, although Councilwoman Kathy Hilton worried the Legislature might do away with the mechanism for creating a new district altogether in 2008.

"Where does that leave us if they decide it isn't a good idea to split districts?" Hilton asked.

Her colleague, Melissa Johnson, said rushing a vote would do constituents a disservice.

"When I have a resident come to me and ask me how to vote [on a city-wide district], I don't even know what I can tell them. There's too much ambiguity.

"People should be able to vote, but what information are we going to give them so they can make an informed decision?"

rwinters@sltrib.com