“Committee co-chairman Rep. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, questioned how ostensibly cash-strapped school districts suddenly found funding “under a rock” and “in the couch cushions” for substantial pay raises after the Jordan domino fell. And Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan, suggested that districts with larger coffers intentionally offer the minimum salary possible to maintain a competitive edge over their rural and lower-funded counterparts.
“Teacher salaries are being held artificially low in our state because of the vast differences in our districts and what they can afford to pay,” Fillmore said. “They have to offer a little bit more than Jordan offers, even though they‘re funded a lot more.”

http://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2017/09/19/lawmakers-question-how-utah-school-districts-found-money-in-the-couch-cushions-for-teacher-salary-wars/