Utah Legislature: Republican senators back school funding cut

SALT LAKE CITY — GOP senators backed a $1 tax increase on a pack of cigarettes in their closed-door caucus Wednesday — and, for the second day in a row, endorsed cutting public education by $21 million to pay for other state needs.

"This has a way of bringing you to the table, when you start seeing the cuts," said Senate Majority Leader Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City. "Even though it's hurting some people, I was able to get the votes."

A major portion of the $21 million cut from public schools would go toward restoring some of $60 million in budget reductions faced by higher education, Jenkins said.

Still being decided is how to spend the additional $43 million raised by the tobacco tax hike. Legislative leaders are negotiating a list of some $60 million to $70 million in budget "hot spots" with Gov. Gary Herbert.

The House passed the tobacco tax increase Tuesday.

After the caucus decision, the Senate put both that bill, HB196, and SB40, another tobacco tax increase proposal, sponsored by Sen. Allen Christensen, R-North Ogden, at the top of its agenda for today.

Both bills are expected to end up raising the tax on a pack of cigarettes from the current 69.5 cents to about $1.70. A section automatically increasing the tax as the national average surpasses that amount will be removed, Jenkins said.

Before the session ends next week, lawmakers must balance a budget facing a $700 million shortfall. The governor has pressured them to avoid raising taxes. It's an election year for the governor as well as a majority of the Legislature.

Although Herbert threatened last week to veto the cigarette tax increase, he has also said he doesn't want to see funding for public and higher education cut in the budget year that begins July 1.

The governor "remains committed to keeping funding for education, both public and higher, at current levels," his spokeswoman, Angie Welling, said after the caucus decision.

Jenkins withheld a list of proposed cuts to public education presented in the caucus, saying it still needed to be shared with House Republicans. GOP House members have yet to discuss the cut.

But House Majority Leader Kevin Garn, R-Layton, said it's not unreasonable to look at cutting public schools, especially given Herbert's stand against tax increases.

"We've cut to the bone," Garn said. "There is a feeling that everyone should share in the misery. And that we shouldn't hold public education harmless."

Both the governor and lawmakers have already said there's no money to pay for public school enrollment growth, despite an expected increase of 11,000 students next year.