By MATT SMITH
The Utah legislature is proposing a $30 million cut to state programs to fund reconstruction of I-15 without raising taxes. The proposal has raised a controversy, however, because the proposal includes deep cuts into Utah’s education budget.
Mike Jacobsen, superintendent of Provo School District said, “I would hate to see the legislation use money to build the new highway that is originally intended for our children’s education.”
If legislators had not lowered taxes in the past years, we wouldn’t have this dilemma of not being able to find funding for the various programs, Jacobsen said.
Originally, the legislature considered cutting $50 million in state programs to help pay for the new highway. That would result in a nearly $20 million cut in education funding. However, the proposal has now been reduced to a $30 million cut, and legislatures are vague as to how much it will affect education.
Gov. Michael Leavitt is displeased with the legislature’s plans. He had originally planned to increase education funding significantly and continue Utah’s education overhaul with improvements across the board. But now it looks as if the legislature has higher priorities than education.
“I want a (transportation funding) plan that is real,” Leavitt said. “One that funds roads statewide and builds these needed projects. My plan is real.” He continues to stand behind his original idea of reasonable gas tax.
Lynn Smith, business director of the Provo School District, said the $50 million cut was changed because of the reaction against it. He said the now-proposed $30 million cut means a $400,000 loss to the Provo School District alone.
Lee Stevens, physical analyst of the Provo School District, said people are overreacting to the proposal. He said there have been and will be some small reductions in certain areas such as number of personnel at the state office of education. He said there will still be an increase in the overall education budget.
Stevens said the funds will come only from programs the legislature feels are unnecessary.
“We should be happy that the legislature is looking to see where money can be better spent,” Stevens said.
Gerald Mikesell, state director of school finance and statistics, said the legislature would be cutting funds from some areas while increasing funding in others.
“Although there will be an overall increase in the education budget from last year, in some areas people are justified in their concerns over this proposal,” Mikesell said.
One of the programs that has a proposed cut is bus services for Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind. The local school districts will have to fund their own bus programs. Mikesell said the net result is that school districts will have to pay $5 million to provide a service for which the state had paid only about $1 million.
Mikesell concludes there will be more money for Utah’s education, but in the process of finding money for I-15 reconstruction there also will be some cuts that will hurt some education programs.
Smith said legislation should soon be clear about exactly how much money is going to be cut from education and which programs will be affected.
