State Treasurer Criticizes Monument’s Effect on Education Funding

by | Jan 3, 2017 | Uncategorized | 0 comments



Many public statements have been made since President Obama’s announcement of the Bear Ears National Monument designation. Utah State Treasurer David Damschen is among them, emphasizing the effect the designation will have on education funding in southeastern Utah. “As chair of the Utah School and Institutional Trust Fund board of trustees, I am deeply concerned about the damaging impact this designation will have on lands held in trust for Utah public schools,” shares Treasurer Damschen. It is an estimated 100,000 acres of school trust lands that lie within the designated monument. “The designation could have a disastrous impact on the endowment managed by the state for the benefit of its public school system,” explains Damschen. “Approximately 64 percent of our state is federal public land, while only 6 percent is administered within the school trust. By his actions, the president is showing reckless disregard for Utah’s public education system and its funding.” Utah leaders have vowed to fight the monument designation.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This
Skip to content