$13 billion is spent with only a few fights
Overall, legislators described the budget process as quiet and noncontentious. The state had a record amount of money to spend, despite a decrease in anticipated revenues of $340 million that came mid-session.
"It was a very quiet, easygoing process," said Rep. Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley, the House budget chairman. "There certainly were a lot of funds available and a lot of money to go around."
In the final hour, teachers were given an extra $25 million for performance-related bonuses, and legislators also authorized a 0.05 percent tax hike to fund about $20 million in fixes to some congested state roads.
The increase was described as a "tax shift" because it will be offset by a few targeted tax reductions, one of which will help Utahns who buy their own health insurance. Although done in a year of surplus, legislative leaders said the increase helped to clear funding for other programs in need.
Either way, Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, said he didn't believe any issues were "losers" this legislative session. The big winner was education, which received about 50 percent of the state budget, he said.
Other items that were funded included $3 million to recruit new corrections officers and improve salaries, $6.9 million for a year-round math and science initiative, $2 million to fund new air-quality monitors and $2 million to stop the growth of cheatgrass.
Utah veterans also received money, with nearly $20 million allocated for a veterans nursing home in northern Utah, while the Department of Community and Culture received $1.5 million to digitize its resources.
In regards to education, teachers saw a 2.5 percent boost to the state's basic school funding formula, as well as a $1,700 raise for teachers. But the $25 million in bonuses for teachers brought groans from the Utah Education Association, which thinks schools should determine how that money is spent.
Also, Republicans agreed to roll a dozen education-money bills into an omnibus-education bill, tied to the $2.4 billion base budget for schools. Democrats and education leaders said the move was unfair and a way to give money for "boutique" programs. A second omnibus bill also was approved late Wednesday that would bring parity to medical insurance purchases to about 70,000 individuals who have been buying plans with after-tax dollars.
Democrats wished all the education money went into the weighted pupil unit, which comes with few strings attached. Much of the money in the schools budget was targeted toward new programs.
"Overall, we are pleased with how the budget process came together this session," said House Minority Leader Brad King, D-Price. "However, our preference in the education budget would have been to put all available revenues toward the WPU."
Contributing: Jennifer Toomer-Cook, James Thalman, Deborah Bulkeley, Ben Winslow, Wendy Leonard
Recent comments
$13 BILLION?? with a B. The easiest thing in the world to do, easier...
Davis Co resident | March 6, 2008 at 1:51 p.m.
