SALT LAKE CITY – Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows Utah does not rely on federal funds as much as other states.
The information is found in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Consolidate Federal Funds Report for Fiscal Year 2010, and showed that, unlike many other state economies that are increasingly reliant on federal spending, Utah depended less per capita on federal dollars.
In a press release from the Governor’s Office, Gov. Gary Hebert said, “This report validates what Utah’s leaders understand in practice, that relying on the federal dole is an unsound way to restore economic prosperity.”
Federal fund always come with strings attached, Herbert said, and added that fiscal prudence was the surest foundation for an economic recovery.
“It is no accident that Utah is best poised to lead the nation out of the recession,” he said.
Herbert also said Utah enjoyed a AAA bond rating, and unemployment in the state was nearly two points lower than the national average. Utah’s economy was also growing at two-and-a-half times the national average, he added.
“…We don’t spend more than we have and we save for a rainy day,” Herbert said. “We make the tough decisions. Utah’s people understand that, Utah’s leaders understand that, and now the data prove it.”
The Census report notes that roughly one-third of Virginia’s economy relied upon the federal government. One-third of Connecticut and Maryland’s federal funding go to health and human services, while one-third of Alaska, Hawaii and Virginia’s federal funds are spent on defense.
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