Budget boosts health, education, pet projects

The state's $8.27 billion budget, adopted Wednesday, will spend $637 million more on public and higher education, Human Services, corrections, courts and other programs.

And they finally made room to spend $28,600 for dead bunnies.

"Help me understand the killing of the bunnies," asked Rep. Jim Ferrin, R-Orem.

One of the last items considered was a special appropriation for Utah farmers who, under orders of state Agricultural Department, incurred the cost of killing thousand of rabbits several years ago after they were infected by a "serious disease," said Rep. John Dougall, R-Highland.

Discussing the cost of killing rabbits was one example of how lawmakers spent much of the last hours of the 2004 session — debating whether or not to spend $10,000 here or $50,000 there, mostly on various pet projects.

Among the budget highlights:

• The state will spend $173 million more for health programs, most of it coming from increased Medicaid funding and the federal match that goes with it.

• Another $1.4 million to boost funding for food stamps, $2.4 million more for needy families (TANF funds) and another $1 million for people with disabilities.

• Funded enrollment growth in public education, pay raises for teachers and various other education programs to the tune of $126 million more.

• Funded a $30 million reading initiative, but half of the money will come from local school districts.

• Approved $84.6 million in bonds for a health sciences center at Salt Lake Community College, remodeling the Swenson building at Weber State, building a National Guard readiness center, remodeling the Capitol, purchasing the Oxbow jail for a women's prison and building a library on the San Juan campus of the College of Eastern Utah.

• Approved a $48 million bond for more highway construction.

• Spent $2 million more to help save Hill Air Force Base.

• Gave state employees a 1 percent pay raise and another 1 percent in one-time bonuses. Prosecutors with the Attorney General's Office and troopers with the Utah Highway Patrol got a 3 percent pay increase on top of that.