After weeks of speculation, legislative leaders confirmed today the Utah Legislature will convene next month to override Governor Gary Herbert’s veto of SB 229, a transportation funding bill. The veto override session is slated for May 6. The governor released this statement earlier today:
photo by Utah.gov
“As elected officials, we are all ultimately responsible to the people we serve. Simply put, I vetoed these four bills because I do not believe they are in the public’s best interest. SB229, for example, earmarks funding for transportation, but potentially risks the State’s ability to address other critical needs, like education. Maintaining the responsible fiscal prudence for which Utah is acclaimed includes protecting budget flexibility. I am confident that my positions serve the best interests of the people of Utah–now, and into the future.”
At the last Utah State Board of Education Meeting on April 8, the Board voted unanimously to support Governor Herbert’s veto of SB 229. The Board had not previously taken a position on the bill. You can listen to the Board’s discussion of the bill here (roughly one quarter of the way into the audio file at about 14:10 to about 17:30).
Kim Burningham, Utah State Board of Education District 5
Board Member Kim Burningham made the motion to support the Governor’s veto of the bill, which he called “troubling”, saying the bill has tremendous implications for future financing of education.
“SB 229 [...] automatically designates future funding levels for transportation. I’m certainly not opposed to transportation. But when you automatically put increases there, you’ve made decisions ahead of time that will put less money elsewhere,” Burningham said. ”It could well mean there’s far less money available for education in the future. I think the governor was right on when he vetoed this issue.”
SB 229 was one of four bills Governor Herbert vetoed this year.
For more information about the veto override session or SB 229, visit http://le.utah.gov.
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