If there is a main difference between the budget presentations of former Gov. Mike Leavitt and Gov. Olene Walker, it is one of attitude. Leavitt was prone to outlining his budget in absolute terms. One year ago this week, he prefaced a special legislative session by saying, in effect, lawmakers had a moral choice between building roads or educating children and that he preferred the latter.
Walker, on the other hand, unveiled a strong first budget Monday, then prefaced it by saying that if anyone — lawmakers, especially — had any better ideas on how to fund state government, she was open to suggestions. The only things she seemed absolutely immovable on were the need to increase funding for public education and a modest salary increase for state employees, who have gone two years without one.
The change is refreshing, but it's also necessary. The upcoming fight over the budget promises to be a difficult one, and flexibility will serve as a virtue. Walker wants to hold the line on taxes, but her recommended revenue shifts would not be painless.
Public education has ranked as a top priority among Utah budget-writers for most of the state's history. Because of its large families, Utah always ranks near the bottom in the amount of public money appropriated and near the top in the amount of taxes per capita spent, for education. Visit the archives of newspapers from the 1960s, for instance, and the dire warnings will look familiar. School enrollments were growing faster than the system could handle, and teachers were terribly underpaid. Today, however, the projections are compounded by a huge growth in the children of non-English-speaking immigrants coming to the state.
Like Leavitt, Walker refuses to give much serious thought to tuition tax credits or other forms of education choices that would, over time, relieve some of the demands on the system. That's unfortunate. However, she strongly supports Leavitt's "performance plus" plan, which would require greater accountability for the state's education system, which is good.
Her proposal would add 6.9 percent, or $115.8 million, to public education. Much of the money would come from shifting funds out of the centennial highway fund and by ending the state's subsidy for water districts.
Both are likely to meet stiff resistance, but especially the water proposal. This is virtually the same plan Leavitt proposed last year with no success, but it is one part of her plan that makes great sense. Six years ago, lawmakers gave water companies a sales tax cut of 1/16th of a percent, ostensibly to help small water companies obtain cheaper loans. Now that times are tough, however, and the state continues to rank low in terms of water conservation, the state ought to be making water users pay for the real costs of what they drink.
But the shift would likely mean higher water rates in various parts of the state, and that's as good as a tax increase.
In Utah, governors always have the advantage of being able to present their budgets before legislative leaders present theirs. But the advantage typically doesn't last long. This year, circumstances may cause considerable changes to what Walker proposes.
Even as she presented the budget Monday, Walker noted that new reports show a $23 million increase in revenues over projections. If that good trend continues, this year may be marked more by gain than pain, and that would help everyone's attitude.