Today marks the second week of the 2011 Legislative Session and some of the top conversations will continue to be about the budget. All Appropriation Committees will be making final recommendations on the base budget, and law makers are calling for 7-10% cuts to all departments. According to Utah Law a base budget must be passed or defeated by February 2 at noon. The base budget is just the beginning of what may prove to be a difficult process to ensure that the programs United Way of Salt Lake and our partner organizations care about receive necessary funding.

After final decisions are made regarding the base budget UWSL will call on you to help advocate for programs such as optional extended day kindergarten, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), Medicaid and CHIP, and other basic needs programs. There are many revenue options that legislators have to fill in cuts that have been made in the base budget. UWSL will be taking positions on these revenue options and various cuts.

In the meantime, check out our comprehensive bill list that provides information on the bills UWSL is currently following, a summary of the bill, its status, fiscal note, and UWSL’s position.

Resolution To Create “Utah Saves Week“

One of United Way of Salt Lake’s (UWSL) top priorities in acheiving financial stability is our collaborative initiative with Utah Council on Financial and Economic Education. Senator Jones is sponsoring SCR2, Financial Responsibility Concurrent Resolution, which designates February 22-28, 2011 as “Utah Saves Week”, and recommends that all Utahns participate in activities and programs to increase their financial knowledge.

The resolution recognizes the unique public/private partnership of the Utah Council on Financial and Economic Education, and the establishment of a new campaign and online portal to help Utahns access financial information, Belive in Your Future. Identifying the various difficult financial problems individuals and families face, the resolution provides Utahns with information and resources on how to make sound financial decisions. Profiled in the resolution are:

  • Imagine a Happier You, created by Deseret Management Corporation, which features useful financial information for women.
  • Finance in the Classroom, created by the Utah State Office of Education, which is loaded with high-quality materials for parents and teachers to use in educating children about money matters.
  • Utah Saves, a helpful resource for realizing savings goals.
  • Believe in Your Future, a new website created by United Way of Salt Lake and the collaborative efforts of the Utah Council on Financial and Economic Education. Through this trusted portal people can access financial materials on a wide variety of topics, and information from local businesses and nonprofits organizations.

SCR2 passed out of Committee today and will now be heard on the floor of the Senate. Call your Senator and ask them to vote Yes on SCR2, Financial Responsibility Resolution.

Also, plan to take part in the activities and programs that are planned during Utah Saves Week and join us on February 28 for the official kick-off for the Believe in Your Future website.