Budget director: Utah can handle shutdown through January
(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) A closed sign is displayed on a door at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019, as a partial government shutdown stretches into its third week. A high-stakes move to reopen the government will be the first big battle between Nancy Pelosi and President Donald Trump as Democrats come into control of the House.
Salt Lake City • Utah Gov. Gary Herbert’s budget director says the state can get by until the end of January without too much trouble if the federal government’s partial shutdown continues but that it’s not too soon to start planning work-arounds.
Executive Director Kristen Cox of the Governor's Office of Management and Budget says the 2-week-old shutdown likely won't significantly affect the state's finances until the end of the month, but she said talks should begin soon with lawmakers and other officials because, in her words, "we can't float this forever."
The state is already is providing money to keep several national parks open during the shutdown, and Cox said other areas being monitored including funding for national parks, school lunches, food stamps and nutrition assistance for families.
For over 150 years, The Salt Lake Tribune has been Utah’s independent news source. Our reporters work tirelessly to uncover the stories that matter most to Utahns, from unraveling the complexities of court rulings to allowing tax payers to see where and how their hard earned dollars are being spent. This critical work wouldn’t be possible without people like you—individuals who understand the importance of local, independent journalism. As a nonprofit newsroom, every subscription and every donation fuels our mission, supporting the in-depth reporting that shines a light on the is sues shaping Utah today.
You can help power this work.