An investigation by the Tribune's Julia Lyon uncovered how some former and current Utah lawmakers profited from the charter school trend and their positions of power.

Organizers of at least three charter schools find themselves paying building companies — formed by Rep. Mike Morley, right, and former legislators Jim Ferrin and Glenn Way — hundreds of thousands of dollars over the appraised value for their schools.

If you remember, charter schools were sold as an innovative educational alternative that would cost the taxpayer less than traditional public schools. Ferrin pushed charter school legislation. His fellow lawmakers in Utah's free-market Legislature, of course, never considered it a conflict of interest. (Robert Gehrke has more today on the Legislature's laissez-faire conflict of interest rules.)

From Lyon's story:

"The private companies developing and financing charter schools in Utah stand to make enormous profit in a booming industry with little oversight and minimal competition. Without legal representation or construction expertise, some starry-eyed school founders may not be in the best position to protect their schools' interests, parents say. They make mistakes that could cost the schools and taxpayers money. "

Stephanie Colson, a founder of The Ranches Academy, an Eagle Mountain charter school, says, "I wish the state could find a way to not put us at the mercy of the charter developers."

Hey, maybe she can talk Morley into carrying a bill to regulate charter school sharks. You think?