Leaders finish $12 billion 2008 budget

The end is near.

On Tuesday, legislative leaders finalized what has ballooned into a more than $12 billion spending plan for 2008 that includes about $220 million in tax cuts.

Small changes may be made to several budget bills today, but all in all, lawmakers seem ready to meet all of their goals by the conclusion of the 2007 Legislative Session at midnight.

"In essence, it's 99.8 percent done," Rep. Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley and House budget chair, said after the Executive Appropriations Committee met to approve the budget. "We will have some fun before the session ends, but unfortunately it's all kind of coming to an end."

For the most part, nearly everyone appeared a winner this session in the fight for funding. The biggest, and possibly only, exception is the disability community, which didn't get a requested $1 million to reduce a waiting list for services.

Early Tuesday, the House amended a bill to give $2 million more to the Children's Health Insurance Program, which didn't receive all the funding it had requested. The change was sponsored by Rep. David Litvack, D-Salt Lake, giving the minority party a rare win in the budget battle.

Mike Mower, spokesman for Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., said that the governor was able to get funding for all his priorities, including all-day kindergarten and the tax cut, which will also be considered by the House today.

"It's been a great year for Utah as a state and for Utah taxpayers, and we have the state's strong and robust economy to thank," Mower said.

Huntsman had proposed a $10.7 billion budget. Lisa Roskelley, the governor's spokeswoman, said the number was lower because of "a difference in accounting philosophies. ... It's not a difference in actual money spent." In the end, she said, the budget is going to be close to $10.8 billion counting anticipated extra revenue. Legislative leaders also attributed the difference to how the legislative and executive budgetmakers calculate anticipated new revenue growth.

Highlights of final batch of appropriations, which included some pork for lawmakers' constituents, approved Tuesday by Executive Appropriations, include:

• $2.5 million more to fund a Western States Primary. State officials say it will give Utahns a meaningful voice in helping to select a new president.

• $40 million in additional money to the state's Rainy Day Fund. Lawmakers have already agreed to give $274 million to the fund, which is tapped during economic downturns.