Budget Writers Back Payroll Cuts

Republican Gov. Phil Batt’s hold-the-line budget blueprint survived its first test on Friday when the overwhelming GOP majority on the legislative budgetwriting committee endorsed his proposed payroll cuts in eight departments.

In a series of lopsided and sometimes unanimous votes, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee cut 104 job slots from the existing budget at a savings of over $2.2 million, complying with the new governor’s commitment to a leaner state government.

And while the reductions reflect a full year’s financing, the eight agencies will have less than six months to achieve the savings. Batt essentially shifted those job slots to other agencies like the Corrections and Law Enforcement Departments in his budget plan for 1995-1996.

“Every one of us can look down this list and find something that hurts a little,” Republican Sen. Dean Cameron of Rupert said. “But we need to stick together.”

The cuts must still be approved by both houses, and some critics were predicting mounting opposition to some of them by the time those votes occur.

The jobs involved were supposed to have been vacant for at least the past six months and the rest of the savings were from what Batt Budget Director Dean Van Engelen called a reality check - a determination that the agency had more money for personnel than needed.

The largest reduction was in the Department of Health and Welfare, where 76 jobs would be eliminated at a savings of $1.16 million.

But the most disputed cuts came in the Agricultural Research and Extension Service and the departments of Lands, Water Resources and Parks and Recreation. Agencies in the governor’s office and the departments of Administration and Fish and Game were also affected.

University of Idaho Dean of Agriculture David Lineback said the $736,000 reduction would require major cutbacks in programs serving rural Idaho and farm research. And Parks Director Yvonne Ferrell said the department will eliminate life guards at all state parks but one and require all employees to take a three-day unpaid furlough.