Utah budget is '800-pound gorilla'

SALT LAKE CITY — Every legislative session is important, but the 2010 Legislature could be ground-breaking on a number of fronts.

Foremost is money — or the lack thereof.

As the 104 legislators walk through Capitol doors today, they face a combined $700 million cash shortfall, spending that must be trimmed from the current budget and the 2010-11 budget year, which starts July 1.

"The budget dominates," said House Speaker Dave Clark, R-Santa Clara. "It is the 800-pound gorilla in the room. (Less spending) trickles down to all other policy issues."

GOP legislative bosses and Republican Gov. Gary Herbert hope to make the cuts with no state employee layoffs, although there could be another round of furloughs without pay for some workers.

Herbert promises no tax hikes, but his own budget would take away the 1.35 percent "collection fee" larger retailers now get for charging sales tax at their cash registers.

And there seems to be growing support in the Legislature to increase the tobacco tax, although the $35 million to $50 million that raises would go to tobacco-related health care costs, not to general state spending.

Revenue enhancements — a nice way to say tax or fee increases — will be part of the legislative discussion, leaders say.

A new poll by Dan Jones & Associates for the Deseret News and KSL-TV shows the Legislature's agenda should be stacked with "must-do" items, with some "should-do" issues also important.

In a list of "pressing issues" polled on by the newspaper and TV station, it is of note that none fell below 50 percent support — meaning that Utahns would like action taken on all of them.

"Everybody's just feeling a pinch right now, and they're just saying, 'Legislature, get involved in everything. Solve these things,' " Senate President Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, said. "I think people have tall expectations of the Legislature. They don't want us to interfere, but they do want us to help."

Eighty percent of Utahns say it is "very pressing" that legislators do something about the economy, budget shortfalls and taxes. Conservative lawmakers, led by Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, are already looking at hundreds of millions in drastic cuts, such as eliminating the 12th grade, proposals the governor has labeled "too Draconian."

Waddoups acknowledged some of the suggestions go too far, but he said all options have to be on the table.