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Eye On Boise

JFAC approves transportation appropriations

Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, right, presides over a meeting of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Thursday afternoon. At left is her co-chair, Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)
Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, right, presides over a meeting of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Thursday afternoon. At left is her co-chair, Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

JFAC is now meeting to take up two topics: Authorizing spending authority to match the new transportation bills, and a shift in school funding for fiscal year 2009 to match a newly received directive regarding the use of federal stimulus funds. The shifting about leaves the exact same dollar amounts going to schools. "We're still even," said JFAC Co-Chair Maxine Bell, R-Jerome. Both moves passed on unanimous, 19-0 votes.

On the transportation bills, Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, expressed doubt that legislation regarding selling special truck-trailer license plates really would raise $5 million. Bell said, "They can't spend it if they don't get it - it's spending authority only."



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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