Budget elicits smiles

Despite some last-minute scrapes over unfunded projects and the realization by legislative leaders that even lots of extra money is not enough, very few people are left frowning because of this year's budget.

Armed with one of the largest surpluses in state history, legislators were able to replace money taken from programs during the previous years of lean budgets, fund new construction projects and attempt to boost economic development.

While transportation received the most attention for its continually escalating funding during the session — eventually reaching $120 million — on practically equal footing was the almost $150 million provided for building projects. Even more important to legislative leaders was that the money was budgeted without floating any new bonds.

While $50 million of that new money will go to the already started renovation of the State Capitol, the rest will go to new buildings and much-needed renovations, especially on college campuses. Those include $48 million for the renovation of the Marriott Library at the University of Utah, $15.7 million for a new health and sciences building at Dixie College, and $10 million for a teacher education building at Southern Utah University.

Public education received a 5-percent boost in funding, and at least some of that was making up for the miniscule boosts given in previous years. All told, schools got $126 million in new money, including $28.5 million for enrollment growth and $76.4 million for a 4.5 percent hike in the weighted pupil unit.

But lawmakers declined State Board of Education requests for $6 million to help kids pass the graduation test and $16 million to prepare youngsters for higher math standards, even though the fiscal analyst had identified money for them.

House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, said that despite the unfunded requests, he felt that education was treated very well this year. He also said that a variety of educational priorities for senators, representatives and the governor were funded, something that happened because they all worked well together.

"There's been a lot of good things funded," he said. "That comes from cooperation, not fighting."

In health and human services, the budget saw a restoration of funding for adult dental and vision benefits in the Medicaid program, $1 million to boost the number of people the state assists who have disabilities and funding to put 12,000 additional children in the Children's Health Insurance Program.

Another $400,000 was directed to community health clinics to help low-income people meet their medical needs, and $2 million will be funneled to mental-health centers to shore up a federal funding gap.