SALT LAKE CITY — Under Gov. Gary Herbert's leadership, the state is headed for "a fiscal train wreck," his Democratic opponent, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, said Monday.
Corroon, who will face Herbert in November's special gubernatorial election, said Herbert relied on "rosy projections" and "fuzzy math" to balance the state budget.
Standing on the steps of the state Capitol, Corroon said more should have been done to avoid a looming $150 million shortfall in the current budget year, which ends Wednesday.
"As governor, I will reform the budget process by ending gimmicks, demand results and cut waste," Corroon said, also promising "a top to bottom review" of all state programs.
The governor and lawmakers have said a cushion was built into the new budget in anticipation of a further drop in state revenues. Herbert has said he believes Utah is already in economic recovery.
"So we think we're right on target," the governor said last Thursday during his monthly news conference on KUED Channel 7. "Indicators are that we've turned the corner."
But Corroon said the budget "is not right on track and it is not normal" to have such shortfalls. He said more cuts should be made to ensure the budget remains balanced, suggesting he could slice $200 million.
The mayor said the savings in spending could come from a number of areas, including making buildings more efficient, reducing Medicaid fraud and better managing the state work force.
The single biggest item on his list is reducing what he termed "unneeded layers of management" in government for some $61.5 million in annual savings. He did not detail where those cuts would be made.
"My budget plan is common sense," Corroon said, calling it "a disciplined, straight-forward approach that requires hard work and accountability."
Herbert already has empaneled a group of business and government leaders to look for efficiencies in state government, and their report is due this summer. Corroon said that's too long to wait.
Herbert spokeswoman Angie Welling said the governor "has a long-term vision for the state, which includes dealing with the realities of today and planning for the opportunities of the future. His budget is based on realistic projections using the most current data available and takes into consideration the totality of Utah's economic picture."
Welling said Corroon's statements "indicate a lack of such a long-term vision and a fundamental lack of understanding of the state budget and the budgeting process." She cited as an example Corroon's criticism of the use of one-time monies to help balance the education budget.
"You can't have it both ways," Welling said. Protecting education "requires either the use of one-time funding or raising taxes. Gov. Herbert has been unequivocal that a general tax increase at this time would be devastating on Utah's emerging economic recovery. Peter Corroon, on the other hand, is indicating that that would be his chosen path, if elected governor."
Corroon and Herbert are vying to fill the remaining two years of former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s term. Huntsman stepped down last year to become U.S. ambassador to China.
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