This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Despite his reservations about the state borrowing money, Gov. Gary Herbert is scheduled to sign an $83 million bonding bill Wednesday that will pave the way for the reconstruction of the state mental hospital and building three college structures.

Herbert had previously objected to the Legislature's plan to issue bonds to construct the buildings and contemplated vetoing the bill.

But he said Tuesday that he would sign it and has scheduled separate appearances Wednesday in three cities where the facilities are scheduled to be built.

"It's a balancing act, and the plan is to sign the bill because it's the right thing to do, all things taken into consideration," Herbert said.

"Most legislation is not perfect," he added. "We're going to make sure we're getting the right balance as far as bonding and building and taking advantage of the fact that we've been fiscally prudent — we have a triple-Abond rating — and build when costs are down."

During the session, Herbert had pushed to pay for the construction by requiring self-employed individuals to pay estimated income taxes quarterly instead of annually.

That would have collected about $130 million in the next fiscal year instead of the following one — money that then could have been tapped to pay cash for the buildings.

"I've said this is probably not the year to borrow money and maybe not the year to do buildings," Herbert said near the end of the legislative session. "I feel that the quarterly estimate is probably a better way to go if they're going to do buildings."

The bond would pay for reconstruction of Utah State Hospital, which is the hub of the state's mental-health network, and several higher-education projects.

gehrke@sltrib.com —

What $83 million bond will buy

$25 million • Utah State Hospital reconstruction in Provo

$31 million • Weber State University classroom building in Layton

$14 million • Utah State University business building expansion in Logan

$10 million • Tooele Applied Technology Center building

$3 million • Salt Lake Community College land in Herriman