Pet projects part of massive final night funding bill

On the last day of each Legislature, lawmakers pass what is called the "bill of bills" — a huge spending document that makes last-minute funding and basically balances out the state's next fiscal year budget.

This year's bill spends the last $398 million lawmakers had to allocate.

Also historically, a few ineresting items sneak into the final budget bill, while some other items have been long debated and well known, or are required in other bills which carried a fiscal note, or cost.

Here are some interesting items in the 2008 — bill of bills — which passed Wedneday night:

• $1 million to pay for costs associated with moving the Legislature back into the Capitol, membership dues and legislative per diem.

• $3.8 million to bank land. Sources said the money goes to two projects desired by Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, to buy land near Utah Valley University and land in Ogden for a future court building.

• $150,000 to study a road across Utah Lake.

• $85,000 for the Capitol Hill dining services.

• $750,000 for critical languages.

• $100,000 for the Emergency Food Network, to make up for a loss in its tax break on food sales tax.

• $100,000 to the Gunnison Community Theater.

• $815,000 for state computer security.

• $500,000 for the motion picture fund, money demanded by the governor.

• $250,000 for the Museum of Natural Curiosity, Thanksgiving Point.

• $349,000 for a judicial performance evaluation.

• $357,000 for the Thanksgiving Point Museum.

• $900,000 for UCAT equipment.

• $3 million for English language learner software.

• $5,000 spent for the "state women's golf tournament."

And a number of museums and art organizations got cash, including:Ballet West, $178,500; Freedom Festival, $107,000; Moab Music Festival, $50,000; Tuacahn, $150,000; Leonardo, $250,000