Gov. Herbert calls proposed cuts 'too Draconian'

SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Gary Herbert said Thursday that lawmakers are already looking at budget cuts that are "too Draconian" as they ready for the start of the 2010 Legislature.

"I think their approach is a little on the extra conservative side," Herbert said during the taping of his monthly news conference on KUED Ch. 7.

He said he is "cautiously optimistic" lawmakers will choose to follow his budget proposal, which minimizes cuts without raising taxes by tapping the state's Rainy Day Fund and other sources.

Later in the day, Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, hosted the first part of a two-day meeting at the Capitol he called a "government reform summit." Buttars began presenting a 12-point alternative to Herbert's budget approach that seeks to cover the expected $700 million budget gap exclusively through program cuts.

"I really think the governor was great in not raising taxes, but I think there's a better way to run this," Buttars said. "The burden I'm going to take upon myself is, I'm going to show you $700 million in reducing state funding, every dollar ongoing."

Buttars' proposal includes eliminating 12th grade in public schools, slashing the state vehicle fleet, reducing drug offender programs, downsizing school busing and privatizing state parks. Buttars said eliminating the 12th grade would bring the state in line with school systems in other countries and save the state hundreds of millions of dollars.

"I went and talked with a lot of (high school seniors), maybe a couple hundred," he said. "Some of them grinned and said, 'I'm taking (Advanced Placement) classes.' Those guys are really in college. You find the ones that aren't, and say what are you taking and they say weightlifting, two libraries and (physical education)."

Buttars said taking the cost of the 47,000 seniors in Utah high schools out of the budget nets savings of more than $280 million.

Buttars encouraged attendees of the summit, which was sponsored by Intermountain Healthcare, to become "agents of change" and "missionaries" for the cause of reducing government spending.

Although Buttars said the proposals received a warm reception from Republican caucus members, he predicted opposition to the proposals from special interests and government bureaucracy.

"We all need to mount up and put our armor on," he said. "Naysayers will demonize this program."

Senate Majority Leader Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, who attended the meeting, said he thinks higher education and public transportation may be overfunded.