From Deseret News archives:

Roads, education let down

Published: Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008 12:11 a.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
With just a week remaining in the 2008 legislative session, lawmakers were still negotiating details of the state budget late Tuesday, but it looks as if several groups, including educators and transportation officials, will be disappointed.

New prioritized spending lists show no new money is likely to be given to the Utah Department of Transportation to fix things such as bridges and congested roads, and educators will receive a smaller pay raise than promised.

In addition, the low-income aren't likely to see funding for dental care. And tax cuts are no longer a valid option.

Lobbyists and agency heads used words such as "stunned" and "false expectations" to describe the spending lists.

"They raised the expectation of how they would treat education — they set the bar so high that I think teachers will feel let down," said Susan Kuziak, executive director of the Utah Education Association, in response to the priority list.

Sometime today, members of the Legislature's top budget committee are expected to meet and approve the spending lists released Tuesday. House Republicans agreed Tuesday to endorse the list, but GOP senators had not reached a consensus.

Story continues below
Rep. Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley, said the delay in the Senate will slow the budget process, but legislators "still have a number of days left" to authorize more than $613 million in spending. The session is scheduled to end next Wednesday.

"As happens every year, there are some disappointments," said Bigelow, who also serves as the House budget chair. "That's the way the process works. No one gets what they want."

Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo, said after several hours of closed-door meetings between Senate and House leaders and Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., that there are still some issues that need to be discussed by the GOP caucuses before the budget is finalized. Both the House and Senate caucuses will meet at noon today, and the Executive Appropriations Committee will meet at 5 p.m.

"We're very close but there's some fine tuning," especially on education issues, Bramble said. He added that the negotiations were less contentious than past years when lawmakers had more money to spend. "There's not the line in the sand or the chest-thumping we've seen in the past on any side. The toughest budget sessions we've had are when we've had a lot of money and can't say no."

Recent comments

Your 8th grade daughter was crying in class today because you and...

re:To the un-respected teacher | | Feb. 28, 2008 at 12:44 a.m.

What a quandry, fix the pothole, I don't spill my drink.

Educate...

pothole or education??? | Feb. 28, 2008 at 12:36 a.m.

Hey, thanks for the nice note. Nothing wrong with honest labor....

re:To the un-respected teacher | Feb. 28, 2008 at 12:21 a.m.

previousnext

Latest comments

Flu shot appointments fill up fast

I think that it is really good that a lot of people were able to get the H1N1...

Backtracking like this is disappointing. As Latter-day Saints we need to hold...

Gays get Mormon support in SLC

For those saying that this is not new, the point you are missing is that...

The NBA is a business and officiating must be viewed through the prism of...

FLDS man sentenced to 10 years

Is this guy going to be in protective custody like Jeffs? If not, this is a...

I certainly question the authority and presidency of the church when...

we have freedom make the right chose with it,this life is a test also,the...

Am. Fork band hopes for nationals

THEY DID IT!!! They have approval from the district and a unanimous vote for...

This issue of health care is an easy one to resolve. If you care and love...

U. hopes to keep clicking

Utah has the athletes and coach to win this game. Well they? Not sure since...

Advertisements
Advertisement