While COVID-19 impacts the physical health of many Utahns, it is also affecting the fiscal health of our state. Because of this, we will likely need to make cuts to the state budget. The Legislature has tasked each division or department to make recommendations for possible cuts of 2%, 5% and 10%.
However, we need to be surgical and smart about how we address budget shortfalls, and not simply cut every department or division across the board or rush into cuts. Some services of our state are in greater need of protection than others at this moment.
We should always seek to eliminate waste and make sure tax dollars are spent wisely. At the same time, we recognize many areas of our state budget face painful cuts and reductions. But, if we truly want our economy to come back strong, we should be judicious with how any cuts are made, and be especially meticulous to preserve our investments in our greatest economic engine — public education, our kids and healthy families.
As required by the Legislature, the State Board of Education has provided scenarios for $76 million to $380 million in budget cuts. This task wasn’t undertaken lightly. They identified several programs to reduce or eliminate to reach a 2% budget cut. These include new library books and electronic resources, K-3 reading improvement, professional development programs for educators, an online college prep test, and other programs.
Going further to a 5% cut to education will likely mean eliminating the new class size reduction program, cutting teacher salaries and even layoffs.
This is unacceptable.
If anything, we will need more teachers and resources to help kids and families this next school year. As social distancing helps reduce the infectious spread of COVID-19 — now is not the time to eliminate class size reduction programs and cut funding for our schools.
We need to empower local teachers and districts with funding and flexibility to address the diverse needs of students throughout our state. We must not cripple our already underfunded school system while the virus has exacerbated inequality and division in our society.
The other area we must protect are essential social services. These are all the programs that keep Utahns healthy, that keep children and families safe, that help people with mental illnesses, addiction issues, domestic violence prevention, protections for at risk children, workforce services, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, and Medicaid. These programs are essential for Utah’s response to the health and financial impacts of COVID-19.
Utah has done a great job of planning and preparing for a possible rainy day. That rainy day has arrived. We should carefully consider what available levers we have such as federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funding, Utah’s robust rainy day fund and bonding options. We should be strategic about how to preserve essential programs and services that will help our schools and communities best weather this difficult time.
Fortunately, Utah’s economy hasn’t been hit as hard as the rest of the country. Utah’s unemployment rate for April was 9.7%, compared to 14.7% for the nation. Of course, many questions remain for how our economic situation will look in the coming months. Because of this we should proceed cautiously without hastily cutting critical parts of the state budget before we have additional information and have considered all options.
State and local education leaders, teachers and social service workers all across our state should know we are incredibly thankful for their heroic efforts in recent months. Now is the time to protect our children’s education and essential social services that are key to a robust economic recovery and the long-term economic health of our state.
Rep. Suzanne Harrison, D-Sandy, and Dan Johnson, R-Logan, are members of the Utah House of Representatives.