The last night of each session, lawmakers pass a bill that funds "special" projects ranked by the dueling party caucuses.

Because there was so much extra cash this year, on the last day GOP leaders decided to increase that spending from $2 million ($1 million per house) to $6 million ($3 million per house). The leaders themselves picked the $4 million items from previously considered lists, although the rank-and-file approved the bills.

Some of the items making the late "pork" list included: $20,000 for the Dyers woad weed collection project; $25,000 for the Antelope Island Balloon Festival; $300,000 to buy more land for the Cedar City Shakespearean Festival; $300,000 for "restaurant promotion"; $14,000 for Art In a Box; and $800,000 for the Utah Festival Opera in Logan (which happens to be the home of Senate budget chairman Sen. Lyle Hillyard).

Finally, some political needs were aided as well.

Next Feb. 5, $3.5 million will be spent to hold a statewide presidential primary election. It's hoped that a number of presidential candidates — including Republicans Mitt Romney and John McCain, both who have either come here or plan to visit — will come to Utah during the big 2008 presidential election year.

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E-mail: bbjri@desnews.com

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