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Show Two Thirds of Utah Spending Will Go for Education Approximately two -third of the increased spending authorized au-thorized for the coming bi-ennium bi-ennium by the 1967 Utah Legislature will go for education. ed-ucation. This was pointed out in a fiscal analysis of the 1967 legislative session prepared by the Utah Foundation, the private governmental research organization. According to the study, appropriations and estimated estimat-ed expenditures from the general fund and the uniform uni-form school fund over the next two years will total ,$333.6 million. Beginning (balances and revenues to meet this committment were estimated by the Gov-at Gov-at $335.8 million, leaving a "surplus for contingencies" of $2.2 million. Foundation analysts caution, cau-tion, however, that the revenue rev-enue estimates used to balance bal-ance the 1967-69 budget are based on optimistic projections pro-jections of growth in the Utah economy and expansion expan-sion in state revenues. If these revenues estimates are not realized, - a number of actions might have to be taken to assure a balanced bal-anced budget including: (1) reduction or elimination of the projected surplus, (2) reduction in general fund allotments below appropriated appropri-ated levels, andor (3) an increase in the state property pro-perty tax levy above the 7.3 mills contemplated in the budget. The Utah Foundation study notes that despite the higher expenditure authorizations author-izations for the 1967-69 bie-nium, bie-nium, no significant tax increases in-creases weie imposed this year. In fact, the 1967 Legislature Leg-islature gave its approval to a number of new exemptions exemp-tions or deductions to present pres-ent tax laws. Two of these proposed tax changes exemption ex-emption of inventories and valuation of farm land on the basis of its agricultural use rather than market value involve constitu tional amendments whibh will be submitted to the electorate in 1968. Although the 1967 Utah Legislature did not provide for any major tax increases it did raise fees charged for hunting and fishing, drivers licenses, and enrollment en-rollment in colleges. Revenue Rev-enue derived from these higher fees will be used to finance expanded load and services of the agencies involved. in-volved. The 1967 Legislature made beginning provisions for servicing the 1965 bond issue by appropriating $10, 750,000 over the next two years for this purpose. The Foundation report observes obser-ves that "this added obligation obli-gation of bond retirement and interest costs contnV buted to many of the bud-getbalancing bud-getbalancing problems for 1967-69 and will add to the state's fiscal problems in the future periods." |