Pretty sure this was a dog and pony show designed to make it look like there were budget efforts under way that really weren't...underway .....or were ever going to be.
When money is tight and budgets need to be cut but you don't want to be the one, pick the most popular programs and threaten them until the public outcry is so loud you reverse your self and become a hero........for NOT doing your job. Learned it from ASD I suspect.