Skip to main content

Davis Journal

Capitol Corner 3-3-23

Mar 06, 2023 10:06AM ● By Becky Ginos

The Executive Appropriations Committee (EAC) made final recommendations last week for the fiscal year (FY) 2023-2024 budget. Significant funding for education, water, infrastructure, and social services were included in the recommendations and a tax cut for the third consecutive year.

The recommendations include increasing the education budget by $578.3 million in ongoing revenue, and $338.7 million in one-time funds, a 19.7% increase. 

The EAC budget recommendations also allocate $413.4 million (one-time) and $14.2 million (ongoing) to Utah’s continuous water efforts, $400 million in tax relief, over $1 billion in transportation and transit improvements, and $775 million for debt reduction and debt avoidance, according to a legislative release.  

 “While preparing and finalizing our budget, we are not just thinking about the coming year, we are planning for the next 100 years,” said President J. Stuart Adams in the statement. “This year, we are making generational investments in housing, water, education and transportation. We are funding solutions to our growing state’s most pressing needs, and cutting taxes while looking ahead to avoid future pitfalls. We are providing immediate tax relief to Utahns at a time when they need it most. By making smart fiscal decisions, Utah’s economy will continue to remain steadfast.”

“This session we set out to both provide Utahns with a historic tax cut and make significant generational investments that will have statewide impacts,” said Speaker Brad Wilson. “This budget accomplishes both goals as we focus on lowering taxes and investing in water, transportation, education, health, and housing. I appreciate the great work done by our committee members, committee chairs, and the Executive Appropriations Committee as they crafted a budget that serves the interests of Utahns across the state.”

“Each year, we are presented with new challenges and opportunities when it comes to the state budget,” said Sen. Jerry Stevenson, Senate EAC co-chair. “Our finalized budget reflects Utah’s values and prioritizes future growth. Over the last few years, lawmakers have seen the need for additional funding to ensure Utah remains the best place for our kids and grandkids to live and raise families. This budget does just that. We are making historic investments focused on state and regional projects, which will continue to solidify Utah’s ranking as the state with the best economic outlook.”

The 2024 fiscal year begins July 1, 2023.


Legislature proclaims Feb. 23 as ‘Job Corps Appreciation Day’


The Utah legislature issued a statewide resolution last week proclaiming Feb. 23 as “Job Corps Appreciation Day” in recognition of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps program’s contributions. The Job Corps program provides a tuition-free, high-quality education to local youth and young adults. The proclamation also recognizes Utah-based Management & Training Corporation (MTC) as being the largest youth-service provider of Job Corps programs in the United States, according to a release.

“We are grateful to the Utah legislature for this resolution, and for recognizing the past, present, and future impact the Job Corps program has on Utah youth,” said MTC President Dan Marquardt.

Utah has two Job Corps centers – the Clearfield Job Corps Center, operated by

MTC, and Weber Basin Job Corps in Ogden, operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Both centers have provided education, training, housing, food, medical care, and other services to Utah’s youth for over 50 years.