Does a rebuilt Riverview Junior High justify a tax hike? Murray voters to decide.

If Murray’s Riverview Junior High School was human, it would be eligible for Social Security retirement benefits — and the senior discount tendered at most of the city’s diners.
Built in 1961, the 63-year-old school is “significantly compromised” in several areas — including roofing, plumbing and configurations for safety and modern learning that are “costly, inefficient, and provide only a temporary fix,” according to a Murray City School District news release.
Following numerous facility assessments, district leaders say the time’s come for “Riverview Junior High, Part Deux” — and they’re hoping Murray City residents agree to help pick up the rebuild tab.
The Murray City School District Board of Education is proposing a $125 million, 20-year bond measure in the Nov. 5 general election to rebuild Riverview Junior High and also add a new classroom wing and security enhancements at Murray High School.
The cost to rebuild a “modest yet functional” secondary school has increased by more than 100% in the 10 years since the Murray district bonded for Hillcrest Junior High, according to the release.
As such, the determined cost to rebuild Riverview Junior High is $90 million.
“The Board has determined that the best use of taxpayer dollars is to rebuild Riverview Junior High, bringing it up to modest but modern standards that provide our students with the best secondary education they deserve,” said Murray Board of Education President Jaren Cooper.
Meanwhile, the proposed Murray High addition is estimated to be $35 million.
Adding a new wing with security enhancements to Murray High School addresses several critical issues, the release noted.
In June, the Murray Board of Education voted unanimously to move ninth grade students to the high school, independent of the bond election. A new wing accommodates the additional classroom space needed, creating a cost-effective and student-friendly solution.
This move also allows the school to address and update several safety features. With a newly configured entrance, the district will be able to incorporate updated security enhancements that meet emerging safety practices that help protect students, according to the release.
Lastly, the new wing at the high school would help elevate ninth grade curricular options and activities not presently available or that have been challenging. This includes student participation in advanced placement classes and involvement with high school extracurricular activities — all at the Murray High School campus.
If passed, the $125 million, 20-year bond would mean a $132 per year ($11 per month) property tax increase for Murray residents on the average home value ($538,400) and a $240 ($20 per month) annual increase to business property of the same value, according to the release.
Construction on the projects would begin immediately in 2025 so that both would be complete before the fall 2027-28 school year.
If the bond measure passes on Election Day, it will prompt the first Murray City School District tax hike since the 2019-20 school year.
The district’s last bond was a $41 million request to rebuild Hillcrest Junior High in 2012. Presently, Murray has the second lowest school district property tax rate in Salt Lake County and the 10th lowest in Utah, according to the release.
The Murray City School District has posted additional information about the 2024 bond measure proposal — including a FAQ page — at murrayschools.org/bond-information/.
Located in the center of the Salt Lake Valley, the Murray City School District is home to 5,500 students attending seven elementary schools, two junior high schools and one high school.