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Show To cover deficit Hospital budget pass expected By JEAN JOHNSON Chronicle Staff The University Hospital deficit budget of $2,250,000 should be passed by the end of this week says University Executive Vice President John A. Dixon. The subcommittee on higher education report on the deficit budget was favorable and subcommittee reports "have great weight." The $2,250,000 allotment would cover the present hospital deficit and provide for additional ad-ditional working capital. The general University fund, specifying annual operating funds for University Hospital will not be voted upon until late in January. Since the hospital opened in 1965, finances have been a problem. The Salt Lake County Hospital was closed down and the county assured the University Hospital an alloted fund per hospital bed. Soon Salt Lake County reopened a small medical service and cut off funds to University Hospital. Left with a load of indigent patients and little capital, the hospital was forced to borrow from the general University fund and from the state government. In 1970 the Budget and Audit Committee of the state legislature declared the state i borrowing illegal and the Utah State Board of Higher Education put an end to University lending. If the $2,250,000 appropriation is approved, University Hospital will be operating without a preceding deficit for the first time since its conception. Funds from the general University fund are needed for teaching costs and indigent patients. Gov. Rampton has recommended an allotment of $500,000, the University administration has suggested $600,000 and an audit firm employed by the legislature puts the figure nearer $900,000. |