Show Utah spending restraint will be difficult to maintain Although state and local taxes i expenditures and debt In Utah have all risen markedly during the past ten years the increases generally have been less than those recorded In other states This was the conclusion reached by Utah Foundation the private research organization In their analysis of state and local finances In Utah According to the report the relative restraint exhibited by state and local units in the past decade will be difficult to continue in the period ahead Public school enrollments in Utah during the next ten years are expected to Increase at nearly six times the rate experienced over the past ten years Moreover rising costs for public retirement programs and other Incurred obligations will wilt be placing an increased burden on the financial resources and capabilities of state and local units in Utah A factor that tended to moderate therise the therise therise rise in state and local spending in Utah during recent years was the leveling off offIn offin offin in school enrollments The Foundation study notes that school enrollments in Utah rose by an average of only 06 percent per year between 1967 1907 and nd 1977 This slow rate of growth however will wilt not continue in the period ahead FOUNDATION analysts project the average rate of growth In Utah school enrollments over the next decade at 35 percent per year This expected growth rate will wilt be comparable to t that t ex during the 67 1957 period when school enrollments In Utah climbed at an average rate of ot 36 percent per year Currently education accounts for more than half of all state stale and local expenditures in Utah State and local expenditures in Utah totaled during the 1976 fiscal year This sum was equal to 1141 for every man woman and child residing in the state at the beginning of the year According to the analysis expenditures ex ex- for education public schools higher education and other education amounted to million or 51 percent of the total This percentage is considerably greater than the proportion going for education in the Mountain States tes 43 percent and in the nation as a whole 30 percent The Foundation study concludes that the emphasis on education in Utah has forced state and local authorities to place lower priorities on other government services Utah for example allocates a smaller proportion of total state and local expenditures expenditures ex ex- for such activities as health and hospitals police protection fire protection sewerage and sanitation etc than do most other states GENERAL revenues received by all state and local governmental units in Utah during the 1976 fiscal year totaled About percent of this sum came from taxes Imposed percent from Federal aid and percent from charges and miscellaneous receipts State Stale and local tax lax collections In Utah during fiscal 1976 were equal to percent of total personal income received by individuals during the preceding calendar year The Foundation Foundation Foun loun dation points out that this percentage Is slightly below the US U.S. average of percent and the Mountain States average of percent The Foundation study observes that Utah's broad-based broad tax system generally hn has been lauded by most tax authorities In comparisons with other states stales Utah appears to derive a somewhat higher proportion of its total tax revenue from the sales tax and the individual income tax than is the case regionally or In the nation as a whole On the other hand the tile proportion obtained obtained obtained ob ob- from the property tax and other minor taxes in Utah is somewhat below regional and national averages Finally the Foundation study Indicates indicates indicates in In- total indebtedness of state and local governments in Utah totaled million at the close of the 71 1975 1975 fiscal year This obligation was equal to per capita but was well below the average state and local indebtedness of per capita in the Mountain States and 1122 per capita throughout the Ul United ted States |