Even if Utah accepts federal money, schools may only see half of it

Utah's chances of rejecting $101 million in federal stimulus funds are "about as close to zero as one can get," Attorney General Mark Shurtleff's office told lawmakers. But even if the funds are accepted, legislative leaders are warning that school districts may only end up with half of Utah's share set aside to pay teachers, thanks to a $50 million budget shortfall. House Republicans asked for a legal opinion last month from the Attorney General's Office whether the state's share of the Education Jobs Fund money could be turned down. Conservative lawmakers have said they want to stop the cash from coming because they believe Congress has usurped their authority to make budget decisions for the state.

The fund, signed into law Aug. 10 by President Barack Obama, provides $10 billion in education funding to the states to fund jobs for educators. The new law states that even if the money is not accepted by a state Legislature, it will be awarded directly to schools. The Deseret News