The $2.5 million in ongoing funds, however, falls below the $5 million initially requested by the Utah System of Higher Education. That trend ran throughout the committee's recommendations, which ultimately chopped $30 million in requests for the Utah Education Network, the System of Higher Education and Utah College of Applied Technology.

"They presented us a budget that they believed to be necessary and we've cut it significantly. There's some sacrifice," Committee Chair Sen. Gregory Bell, R-Fruit Heights, said, noting that much of the initial request was transferred to one-time costs instead of being eliminated entirely.

Roughly $5 million to fund utility rate increases and $2 million in network money for the Utah Education Network also topped the list.

Executive Offices and Criminal Justice: Prisons fared particularly well in this committee, which is responsible for the funding for a number of elected officials offices and all law enforcement agencies.

The panel's priorities include $4 million for the expansion of the Central Utah Correctional Facility, as well as almost $8 million for jail reimbursement for county jails that house state prisoners. A shortage of funding for that program has been a point of contention between county and state officials in recent years.

"This will put a finger in the dyke," Sen. Dave Thomas, R-South Weber, the subcommittee chair, said about the prison funding. "There are long-term problems that we will need to address, but this will help right now."

Capital Facilities and Administration Services: The committee responsible for building projects approved a priority list that included 10 projects totaling about $164.7 million.

The total is closer to what the House had recommended the committee spend than the Senate, but subcommittee chairman Rep. Gregg Buxton R-Roy, said that although he thinks the list is fair, it could be altered as it moves through the budget process.

"I don't know where . . . it's going to be in the end," he said, citing the many factors that could come into play, such as tax cuts and fiscal note bills. The amount of major building projects authorized this year will also depend heavily on revised revenue projections expected next week.

Four subcommittees had finished most of their work prior to Monday, and did not debate their priority lists during final approval Monday. Most notably, the Transportation and Environmental Quality formally approved a $200 million on-going funding request for road construction, a number essentially agreed to by subcommittee members last week.

---

Contributing: Tiffany Erickson, Peter Nagy, Lisa Riley Roche, Erin Stewart, Angie Welling

E-mail: jloftin@desnews.com