More than half Utah’s budget goes toward social services ($8.8 billion) and public education ($7.2 billion). The next biggest expenditure is for transportation at $2.65 billion.
Members of the Utah Senate conduct business during the final day of the Utah Legislature's 2022 general session at the Capitol in Salt Lake City, on Friday, March 4, 2022,State revenues were projected to grow by $263 million, but lawmakers had to use almost all of that income to fill a $300 million budget deficit. And even with more money coming in, the Legislature had to cut the budget from the previous year by 8.5%, deciding to spend $12 billion on the budget.
Included in that transportation funding is $35 million for reimbursing local governments for construction on state highway projects and $75 million for additional double-tracking of sections the FrontRunner commuter train. An additional $75 million goes toward a future transit project at the Point of the Mountain that may include rail and bus rapid transit. There’s also $30 million to supplement pedestrian or non-motorized transportation projects in local cities.
There are several targeted pay increases included in the budget. Corrections officers will see $20 million for pay boosts and so will public safety officers. There’s also $3.2 million for workers at the state hospital. , far less than what advocates had requested. Another $15 million was approved to match private donations for preserving affordable housing units.
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