KSL File Photo
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — 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.