Top Lawmaker Believes Rainy Day Fund Will be Tapped

08.17.2009 by Jeff Robinson

(KCPW News) Despite numerous requests from advocates earlier this year, state lawmakers did not take money out of the Rainy Day fund to soften the blow of budget cuts during the general session.  But one senator believes the fund probably will be tapped in the near future to help get through the rest of fiscal year 2010, which started in July.

“I really think that we will have to use part of it.  I would never want to spend all of it,” he told KCPW.  “I totally expect that we’ll be using part of the Rainy Day fund this year, to help us get through this year.”

Senator Lyle Hillyard is co-chairman of the legislature’s Executive Appropriations Committee.  He’s not sure at this point how much lawmakers will need to draw out of the Rainy Day fund, which currently stands at $419 million.

Hillyard says it looks like the state will be $700 million in the hole by the time the next general session rolls around, especially since there won’t be federal stimulus money.  He thinks Governor Gary Herbert will be more willing to make the tough cuts that former Governor Jon Huntsman was not willing to make.

“As I visit with his new staff coming in, and kind of get a read of where Governor Herbert will be, I think that number one, he’s going to be more conservative,” he said.

But Hillyard adds that because Herbert’s background is in county government, he’ll also be looking to help the counties with their own budget problems.