Republican leaders in the Utah Senate said Thursday they have no intention of building the state's budget around the pending federal economic stimulus package.
"Why would we change our course based on the unknown?" asked Sen. Sheldon Killpack, R-Syracuse. "It would be one-time money … and you have to build budgets around long-term solutions."
The $819 billion stimulus package is being scrutinized by the U.S. Senate after clearing the House without Republican support.
State lawmakers are finalizing cuts to Utah's 2009 budget, and will soon tackle the more severe slashing of 2010's numbers.
"That's like balancing the budget on a crystal ball," Sen. Pete Knudson, R-Brigham City, said of trying to incorporate any of the stimulus package into current state deliberations.
With 15 percent cuts forecast for 2010, Knudson views the stimulus package as a way to ease some of the initial pain.
"We have a big challenge ahead of us," Knudson said. "Hopefully, if there are some revenues coming this way, it will be beneficial to this process."
Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, prefers to take a wait-and-see approach.
"When and if it gets here, I suspect the governor will involve us in what needs to be done," Hillyard said. "If we can alleviate some of the pressure of 2010, we will."
