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SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Gary Herbert said he remains "optimistic" about his proposal to appropriate $500 million in new money for education, despite doubts from lawmakers about whether his funding request can or will be met.
Revised revenue estimates have added another $100 million to the coming state budget, presenting opportunities for several areas of state funding.
"We ought to all be smiling. We ought to be giggly," Herbert said Tuesday. "It means that our economy is growing. It's robust, it's healthy, and we're one of the best, if not the best, most dynamic economy in America today."
Herbert said he hopes the additional dollars will raise the chance that legislators will meet his funding request for public education.
"My target was $503 million, but I expect we're going to get something of a significantly big number to help us with funding our public education and higher education needs," he said. "There's reason to be optimistic."
Echoing Herbert's optimism was a UtahPolicy.com poll released Tuesday showing support from the majority of Utah voters for the proposed increase.
The survey taken last month showed 68 percent of voters supported adding $500 million to the public education budget, while 27 percent were opposed. More than 600 voters participated in the survey, which had a margin of error of plus or minus nearly 4 percent.
The poll showed bipartisan support for the proposal, with 67 percent of Republicans, 84 percent of Democrats and 62 percent of political independents in favor of the added funds.
Support in the Legislature is another story.
House Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper, said reaching Herbert's proposed increase for public education is "inherently difficult." He said despite the "admittedly large" increase in projected revenues, there are other state needs to be met.
In his budget proposal, Herbert proposed a 6.25 percent increase to the weighted pupil unit, a measurement used in funding individual students. But House Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper, said the final increase "will be under" what the governor proposed.
Hughes said lawmakers won't take action this session on Herbert's request to remove an earmark on sales tax revenues for transportation to free up nearly $100 million for schools. But once lawmakers deal with the gas tax, Hughes said, the earmark could be revisited in future sessions.
Herbert praised lawmakers for considering the possibility of removing restrictions on the funds to allow greater flexibility in the state budget.
"The fact that they're recognizing that there ought to be an adjustment made is a step in the right direction," Herbert said.
Contributing: Lisa Riley Roche Email: mjacobsen@deseretnews.com Twitter: MorganEJacobsen
