But Huntsman says with the more-than-$310-million in tax cuts given over the last two years, it's better to retrench and invest tax dollars into education and his other top priorities.

Now is the time "to address some of (Utah's) most pressing needs," said Huntsman. "My focus continues to be on raising our teachers' salaries up to the national average."

With more than 300,000 Utahns without health insurance, "it is an issue that we must begin to solve," said Huntsman, who wants to study the issue with some extra cash to come up with a plan for 2010.

Besides more cash for air quality endeavors, the governor said his budget "is also investing heavily in our corrections, public safety, human services and transportation infrastructures to ensure the safety of our communities," he added.

Over the last two years, state tax spending has jumped by nearly one-third, leaving some conservative legislators shaking their heads, even as they voted for the budgets.

Huntsman's new budget is just a 3.2 percent increase when federal funds are included, just 3.6 percent hikes in the two main state tax-funded areas, the Education Fund and the General Fund.

Where some of the cash goes:

• $258.2 million in salary hikes and other compensation for state

workers, public education and colleges and universities.

• $142 million for school enrollment growth, Medicaid increases, and higher spending in Human Services and Corrections.

• $10.5 million for air quality and energy development.

• $437 million for roads and buildings.

• No general obligation bonds for either roads or buildings, further reducing the state debt.

FY 2009 Total Expenditures

• Transportation operations — 2.4 percent
• Corrections (adult/juvenile) — 3.5 percent
• Commerce and Workforce Services — 3.9 percent
• Human Services — 9.1 percent
• Higher Education — 11.1 percent
• Capital/Debt — 15.8 percent
• Health — 17.3 percent
• Public Education — 31.5 percent

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E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com; lisa@desnews.com