Most people wouldn't ignore $4 million. Fewer yet would ignore $8 million.
But some Utah lawmakers say they want to do just that - all in the name of good budgeting. Under a proposal adopted Wednesday by the Interim Appropriations Subcommittee and now before lawmakers, updated revenue estimates that traditionally are made the final week of each general session would be ignored unless they changed the proposed budget by "a specified percentage."Of course, when the final days of the 1994 Legislature looms and politicians are sweating to fund their special projects, the more cynical of their lot say they won't be ignoring $4 million, which would be a 1 percent change in revenues, or more.
A legislative committee charged with finding ways to make the Legislature operate more smoothly has come up with a way to stop the last-minute infighting, money-grubbing and games-playing that makes the final days of each session rather interesting.
For it is in those latter days of February when the "updated revenue estimates" come in, lawmakers scramble to divvy up the extra money. Such items as buying the Heber Creeper or giving ski resorts a tax break or pumping a few extra million into Medicaid are resolved.
But the feeding frenzy is seen by some lawmakers as poor budgeting. Budget committees who have worked for 43 days to squeeze and prioritize are in the final two days told that leaders may or may not stick with the committees' work because the new-found money "changes things." Special interest groups descend upon lawmakers like vultures, demanding the newly found cash for their causes.
So a better way is sought. The Legislative Process Committee recommends the all-powerful Executive Appropriations Committee meet between sessions and in December adopt official revenue estimates. When the state Tax Com-mis-sion and the Legislature's own fiscal analyst comes up with revised revenue estimates in late February, those numbers will be ignored unless they exceed or fall short of the December numbers by a set percentage - say 1 percent or 2 percent of the budget.
At 1 percent, the new revenue estimates would have to exceed $4 million or they wouldn't be placed on the table for spending. Thus, lawmakers would be ignoring $4 million they could spend.
"My (recommended) budget is based on the December estimates," said Gov. Mike Leavitt. "So (ignoring new-found money) doesn't really matter to me. It is not without merit to save something" in case of budget shortfalls.
Democrats are particularly pleased with the idea. In fact, Sen. George Mantes, D-Tooele, is taking partial credit for coming up with the idea. Why would Democrats support sitting on money that could instead be shifted to programs like social services?
For years, they have complained that Republican leadership has used those extra, session-end revenues to fund their own pet projects but have virtually ignored Democrats and Democratic issues. Instead of putting the extra few million into Medicaid, Republicans prefer to buy tourist railroads, they say.
"The Democrats have had no say on the Executive Appropriations Committee, anyway," said Senate Minority Leader Scott Howell, D-Salt Lake. "If we don't spend that extra money, then we cut out the political gamesmanship that has characterized Republican control of that committee."
Added Mantes, "the way we have done business in the past is silly. It is bad business and bad politics. This forces lawmakers to be more responsible."