Protecting TaxpayerEducation Dollars
Promoting transparency, accountability, and public oversight of education funding, tax increment financing, and taxpayer-funded projects across Utah.
Our Impact
Nonpartisan · Utah-based · Nonprofit
Working for public accountability since 2022
Shining a Light on Where Education Dollars Go
Transparency for Education Dollars is a nonpartisan public accountability organization dedicated to ensuring citizens have full access to information about how public education funds are allocated, diverted, and spent.
Through research, public records analysis, and community engagement, we empower taxpayers, educators, parents, and public officials with the information they need to make informed decisions and hold institutions accountable.
- Nonpartisan, fact-based research and reporting
- Full public access to our findings and data
- Collaboration with educators, parents, and officials
- Ongoing monitoring of TIF and RDA agreements
Transparency
Government and public institutions should operate openly, making information readily available to the people they serve.
Accountability
Public officials and institutions must be held responsible for how taxpayer resources are allocated and spent.
Public Participation
Citizens have a right and responsibility to engage meaningfully in decisions about public education funding.
Fiscal Responsibility
Taxpayer resources must be managed with the highest standards of integrity, efficiency, and purpose.
Why Transparency Matters
Public education is one of the largest expenditures in state and local government. When those dollars are diverted, obscured, or mismanaged, children and communities pay the price.
Tax Increment Financing Diverts School Funding
RDAs and TIF districts redirect property taxes — including school levies — to subsidize private development, often without public debate or disclosure.
→ Billions diverted from schools statewide each year
Complex Agreements Hide the Real Numbers
Economic incentive agreements are often written in ways that make it difficult for citizens and even elected officials to understand the true fiscal impact.
→ Few agreements include transparent cost-benefit analyses
Public Oversight Is Your Right
Every taxpayer has a legal right to access government financial records, meeting minutes, and funding agreements. We make exercising that right easier.
→ Utah GRAMA: robust public records law available to all
News & Updates
Understanding Tax Increment Financing: How RDAs Divert Education Dollars
A comprehensive review of how tax increment financing agreements in Utah affect school district funding and what the public can do.
New Documents Added to Public Records Database
We have indexed 47 new meeting minutes, agendas, and financial reports from municipalities across Salt Lake and Utah counties.
Citizen's Guide to Education Budget Oversight
A step-by-step guide for concerned citizens on how to access, read, and respond to public education budget information.
Citizen Resources
Everything you need to understand, track, and advocate for transparent education funding.
RDA & TIF Explainer
Understand how redevelopment agencies and tax increment financing affect education funding.
Document Search
Search our indexed repository of public records, meeting minutes, and financial documents.
Funding Dashboard
Interactive visualizations of education funding flows, diversions, and trends.
Get Involved
Join our network of engaged citizens, researchers, and advocates working for accountability.
Democracy Requires an
Informed Public
Join thousands of Utahns demanding accountability in public education finance. Your participation makes transparency possible.