At noon on Tuesday, Governor Steve Bullock's office released the anticipated revenue numbers for the next biennium and the total fell $75 million short of what was needed to fund state government. Among the cuts was $19 million from Montana's Public Schools budget.
According to testimony by Montana Department of Transportation Director Mike Tooley before the Senate Highways and Transportation Committee, Senate Republican leaders said the MDT and Governor Bullock knew there was a serious budget shortfall ‘before it became a crisis.
The University of Montana will face even more financial challenges in the next two years as one-time funds will disappear, and leave the school between $10 to $12 million dollars short of its budget.
University of Montana fall enrollment stands at 14,525 full time equivalent students, resulting in a loss of state funding shortfall of 1.85 percent, or almost $3 million dollars.