Appropriation confusing
As the State Legislature winds down its final week, it looks as if the cuts planned for CEU will be deep, but not as draconian as first feared. Cuts in state funds for next year (fiscal year 2010, which runs from July 1 of this year to June 30, 2010) will total more than 17 percent compared to the original budget for the fiscal year 2009. The cuts will be eased somewhat with the use of $1.58 million in federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress last month.
As the State Legislature winds down its final week, it looks as if the cuts planned for CEU will be deep, but not as draconian as first feared. Cuts in state funds for next year (fiscal year 2010, which runs from July 1 of this year to June 30, 2010) will total more than 17 percent compared to the original budget for the fiscal year 2009. The cuts will be eased somewhat with the use of $1.58 million in federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress last month.
“Use of federal stimulus money certainly helps – it means the cut this year will be nine percent instead of 17 percent, but it also means that we are funding ongoing programs with one-time money,” said CEU Interim President Mike King.
The legislature differentiates in types of funds by declaring certain sources ongoing or one time. Ongoing funds are those that are historically stable – like income tax, sales tax and gas tax. One-time funds are those funds that may not be available every year, such as inheritance taxes or collections in excess of revenue projections. State officials prefer to match ongoing revenue with ongoing costs such as salaries and use one-time funds for projects that have a one-time cost – like road projects or building construction.
CEU began FY 2009 on something of a high, expecting to receive $19 million in total funds from the state of Utah including $17.9 million in ongoing funds. As the economic crisis grew, the Legislature was forced to ask for significant portions of that funding back. By the end of the year the legislature had cut $2.2 million in ongoing funds and replaced about a quarter of that with one-time money. Now with FY 2010 budgets seemingly set, the college is bracing for an additional cut in ongoing funds.
Legislative analysts estimate CEU’s ongoing funding for FY 2010 to be about $15.28 million – a full $3.2 million analysts estimate CEU’s ongoing funding for FY 2010 to be about $15.28 million – a full $3.2 million drop from the original FY 2009 level. With three days left in the legislative session at press time, the number may fluctuate slightly but likely will not change substantively according to CEU administrators.
Source: Utah Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst and CEU Office of Finance and Administration
