Several hundred Utah youths won't be getting summer jobs this year because the U.S. House Appropriations Committee eliminated several millions of dollars of the money used to support the program in the past.
Ernie Sanchez, regional director of public affairs for the U.S. Department of Labor, said 1,719 youths will be impacted by the cut in funding for the Job Training Partnership Act summer youth program.Greg Gardner, director of the Office of Job Training for Economic Development, said Utah was scheduled to receive $2.5 million for the summer youth program that would impact 1,630 teenagers from low-income Utah families, but that money has been eliminated.
In the past, money was used to place youths in jobs with the U.S. Forest Service, school districts and local government. The remedial training part of the program helps youths improve their skills in mathematics and reading in preparation for the next school year.
Gardner said Utah also stands to lose $761,794 in youth program money that would provide training for 622 16- to 21-year-olds.
Both programs are an important resource for our local coordinating councils and provide invaluable assistance to disadvantaged Utah youths. "It is our opinion that these proposed House rescissions represent a `knee-jerk' solution to the balanced budget . . ." he said.