15,000 civilian defense jobs furloughed. 9,000 fewer students served in Utah schools. Dirtier air and dirtier water. Almost $100 million less in federal dollars.
These are all things that the White House has said will happen to Utah if the impending sequester takes place on March 1. Sunday, they White House released a state-by-state report detailing the impact, is says the cuts will have on the nation.
“Utah will lose approximately $6,260,000 in funding for primary and secondary education, putting around 90 teacher and aide jobs at risk,” the report states. “In addition about 9,000 fewer students would be served and approximately 20 fewer schools would receive funding.”
The sequester — budget cuts that will automatically come into effect at the beginning of next month — is the result of the 2011 Budget Control Act, Which President Obama signed in order to end the August 2011 budget crisis, and is now playing a serious role in current budget negotiations.
If nothing happens, the White House made some ugly predictions for Utah’s future in 2013: Some 15,000 civilian defense jobs will be furloughed; nearly $12 million would be lost for Utah’s schools, and 160 teaching jobs would be put at risk; a half million in job training funds would be cut; and 1,230 fewer vaccines would be given to children; over $1 million in public health funds would be gone as well.
