ForImmediateRelease

Contact:AimeeEdwards
PublicInformationOfficer
801.538.1509desk
801.755.3085cell
edwards@utah.gov

Governorproposeslargestincrease
tostudentfundingin25yearsinbudgetproposal

SALTLAKECITY(Dec.11,2014)Gov.GaryR.Herbertpresentedhisbudgetproposalfor
fiscalyear2016todayatGraniteParkJr.HighSchoolandsaidUtahsrobusteconomygives
Utahanopportunitytoinvest.

Gov.Herbertproposeda$14.3billionbudgettoinvestineducation,correctionreformandwater
andairquality.GovernorHerbertwillcontinueeffortstomakestategovernmentmore
transparent,efficientandaccountabletotaxpayers.

Asreportedearlierthisweek,consensusrevenueforecastsproject$638millioninnewfunds,
including$313innewonetimemoneyand$325millioninnewongoingmoney.Thebudget
containsnogeneraltaxincreasesandthelargestRainyDayFundsincetherecession,$487
million.

Educationisonceagainthegovernorstopbudgetprioritywithnearlytwothirdsoftheentire
statebudgetdevotedtoeducation.Projectionsshowthat$5.3billioninstate,federaland
localgeneratedfundswillbeinvestedineducationin2016.Gov.Herbertsbudgetallots$502
millioninnewfundsforeducationincluding$311millionforongoingeducationfunding,$246
millionforpubliceducationand$64.5millionforhighereducation.Anadditional$191million
ofthenewmoneyisonetimefundingcomprisedof$96.2millionforpubliceducationand$94.8
millionforhighereducation.

WeightedPupilUnit(WPU)isthemainsourceoffundingforpubliceducationfordistrictsand
charterschoolsacrossthestate.Fiscalyear2016budgetreflectsthelargestWPUincreasein25
yearsandmorethandoublelastyearsincrease.Gov.Herbertremainscommittedtolocalcontrol
toempowerschooladministratorsandtheirboardstoapplythedollarswheretheyareneeded
mostincludingteachersalaries,investingintechnologyorhireteacherstoreduceclasssizes.

Gov.Herbertrecommendsa$4.6millioninvestmentfortheHealthyUtahplan,analternativeto
medicaidexpansion.HealthyUtahwouldcover95,000Utahnslivingbeloworslightlyabovethe
federalpovertylevel.Itwillbringback$446millionoftheapproximately$700800millionin
taxesUtahnshavealreadypaidfortheAffordableCareAct.HealthyUtahrespectsthe
taxpayersdollarsandprotectsthepoorestamongus.

Thebudgetincludes$263milliontoenhancethestatecorrectionsystem.WhileUtahs
incarcerationrateisfarlowerthanthenationalaverage,itisprojectedtogrowat37percentover
thenext20years.Thecorrectionbudgetincludes$10millionforrecidivismreform.Other
correctionitemsarelandpurchasetorelocatetheprison,operatingexpensesattheGunnison
prison,andanincreaseforcontractingandcorrectionscompensation.Anadditional$1million
willbeusedforbodycamerasforUtahHighwayPatrolTroopers.

CleanairandwaterfuelUtahnsfundamentalqualityoflife.Gov.Herbertproposes$20million
toreplaceoldschoolbuseswithloweremissionmodels,$750,000forresearchtofindinnovative
solutionstoUtahsairchallenges,and$400,000tomonitorairquality.Otherfundsareallocated
toboostenforcementofcleanairlawsandprovideUtahnswithgrantstoreplacewoodburning
stoves,oldlaundromatsandlawnmowers.

Onaverage,Utahreceivesonly13inchesofprecipitationperyearmakingtheBeehiveStatethe
seconddriestinthenation,behindonlytoNevada.Utahisalsothesecondfastestgrowingstate
inthenationandthestateswaterdemandisrising.Toensurewehaveenoughwatertodrink,
forrecreationandtosupportoureconomicdevelopment.Thebudgetincludes$11.2millionto
helpensurethesafetyofourdams,wheremuchofourwaterisstored.

ClickheretoreadGov.Herbertscompletebudgetproposal.
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