Top Heavy: Utah's Dependence on Federal Funds

During our December Caucus meeting, I was sitting next to Ken Ivory who was reviewing a report he received from the State regarding last year's bill that required state agencies to make contingency plans for both a 5% and 25% reduction in Federal funding. 

Of course, to do this, you first have to know how much of your budget comes from Federal sources.  Ken was kind enough to forward me a copy of the report.  Here is a list of state agencies and their corresponding dependence on Federal funds:

Pretty surprising results in some cases.  Here are some highlights:

1. 84.4% -  National Guard 
2. 45% -  Department of Community and Culture
3. 87.2% - Department of Workforce Services
4. 73% - Department of Heath

There are plenty more in there.  The bottom line is that in the event of the Federal fund spigot being turned off or reduced, these agencies would be hugely impacted.  What would a more self-reliant state funded bureaucracy look like?  The whole report is 250 pages so I am still digging through it.  More to come.   

State Government Shutdown: Minnesota's Mess

The state of Minnesota's government shut down today due to an impass on fixing a $5 Billion budget deficit.  The governor wanted to increase taxes and cut spending.  The legislature wanted to just cut spending and not increase taxes.

Here is the governor's finger pointing statement:



I found this statement amusing:

Governor: "Our American Revolution was very much about fair and just taxes, where the middle class was over taxed while the very rich went tax free."

My Rebuttal: So his answer is to tax the rich more so the overtaxed middle class feel better? I don't hear of any tax relief for the middle class in this speech.

Instead of promising to continue working toward a budget solution the good governor engages in class warfare.

He states that he cannot accept a Minnesota where:

• People with disabilities loose part of the time they are cared for...
• Young people cannot afford the rising tuition and University of Minnesota...
• Elderly widows are denied at the "At Home" services...
• Where local governments have to further slash their firefighters and police forces...
• Where special education is being cut...

"...So millionaires do not have to pay one dollar more in taxes.  That is not Minnesota."

This speech highlights struggles that are going on in many other poorly managed states in the country.  I am grateful that Utah is not one of them.