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Utah state budget (2012-2013): Difference between revisions

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{{tnr}}Lawmakers approved the $12.81 billion [[Utah]] state budget on March 8, 2012.<ref name=quiet>[http://www.heraldextra.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/mostly-quiet-legislative-session-concludes/article_080f40f8-469d-5006-9397-833e31ccaaed.html ''The Daily Herald'', "Mostly quiet Legislative session concludes," March 9, 2012]</ref> It increased spending from the prior year by approximately $440 million.<ref name=grows>[http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/53677563-90/state-budget-health-million.html.csp ''The Salt Lake Tribune'', "Budget grows as state shakes off recession," March 9, 2012]</ref> State revenues were projected to increase by more than $360 million.<ref name=quiet/>
{{Archive budget timestamp|Year=2013}}{{tnr}}Lawmakers approved the $12.81 billion [[Utah]] state budget on March 8, 2012.<ref name=quiet>[http://www.heraldextra.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/mostly-quiet-legislative-session-concludes/article_080f40f8-469d-5006-9397-833e31ccaaed.html ''The Daily Herald'', "Mostly quiet Legislative session concludes," March 9, 2012]</ref> It increased spending from the prior year by approximately $440 million.<ref name=grows>[http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/53677563-90/state-budget-health-million.html.csp ''The Salt Lake Tribune'', "Budget grows as state shakes off recession," March 9, 2012]</ref> State revenues were projected to increase by more than $360 million.<ref name=quiet/>


The budget did not raise taxes.<ref name=quiet/>
The budget did not raise taxes.<ref name=quiet/>

Latest revision as of 13:40, 10 March 2017

Note: This article was last updated in 2013. Click here for more recent information on state budgets and finances.

Lawmakers approved the $12.81 billion Utah state budget on March 8, 2012.[1] It increased spending from the prior year by approximately $440 million.[2] State revenues were projected to increase by more than $360 million.[1]

The budget did not raise taxes.[1]

The total state debt would drop about $130 million under the plan. Still, the state had about $1,200 in debt for every state resident.[2]

Highlights of the budget included:

  • A one percent raise for state employees, including higher education employees, and lawmakers set aside money for school districts to give K-12 teachers one percent raises;[1]
  • $87 million more funds than fiscal year 2012 for Medicaid to address the increase of residents enrolling in the program; and[2]
  • $110 million in new funds for public education, including the $41 million the governor requested to cover an enrollment increase of 12,500 students.[2]

Of the total budget funds, 27 percent came from the federal government.

Early in fiscal year 2013, officials spent $50 million fighting wildfires, $16 million of expenses paid for by the state. The budget allocated only $3 million for that expense.[3]

Governor's proposed budget

On December 12, 2011, Gov. Gary Herbert released his proposed fiscal year 2013 budget of $12.9 billion.[4] Highlights of the proposed budget included:

  • $2.5 billion would go to K-12 public education with $111 million in new funding, including $41 million to help cover an enrollment increase of 12,500 students during the next school year; and
  • $93 million more in higher education funding.[4]

The budget spent $160 million more than fiscal year 2012 on Medicaid, with enrollment in the program expected to grow by 39,000 individuals.[4]

A budget summary released by Herbert showed that state revenues were climbing to $5 billion from a low of $4.2 billion two years prior. The plan did not include any tax increases.[4] The governor asked lawmakers to cut unemployment insurance tax rates for the state’s 85,000 employers, “and allow them to create more jobs and hire more people.”[5]

Lawmakers were expected to discuss the governor's proposed budget when the legislative session opened on January 23, 2012.[4]

Footnotes