Committee finishes main budget work

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee finished its main work of setting the state budget late Thursday, adding just $50,000 for one project to a list of spending projects it approved a day earlier.

Overall, the state budget for next year totals $2.34 billion in general funds.

The final project added was $50,000 for new product development for the TechHelp program; altogether, the final funding decisions made Wednesday and Thursday totaled $35.4 million, leaving $12.6 million in revenue unspent in next year’s state budget.

Originally, the joint committee had contemplated putting all 15 final funding decisions, for everything from $4 million in milfoil eradication to $50,000 for a Bear River study, into a single bill along with the governor’s “Experience Idaho” parks initiative. But Thursday afternoon, committee members decided unanimously to split out each project into its own bill – so that each will have to live or die on its own merits.

JFAC Co-Chairwoman Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, explained, “After we thought about this, we started to wonder, frankly, what we were doing.” Co-Chairman Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, said with broad agreement about the park program, it can stand on its own, and on reflection, so can all the other items.

That will, however, mean the committee will send out 16 separate bills – each of which will have to be debated separately in the House and Senate. Just by the sheer time that takes, that move could extend the session a bit.

Local lawmakers’ steps pay off

District 1’s state legislators – Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, and Reps. Eric Anderson, R-Priest River and George Eskridge, R-Dover – have won the Regence BlueShield of Idaho “Move It” challenge – beating out lawmakers from every other district by walking 1.2 million steps between Feb. 1 and March 15, and winning cash for their local schools.

“What’s important is that schools are benefiting by us simply walking,” Anderson said. “It is our responsibility as legislators and public officials to set good examples and demonstrate that with a little extra effort we can make a difference in not only our own health but in the health of our communities.”

The three lawmakers decided to pitch in an extra $500 to add to their $1,500 prize, so they’ll be able to give each of the four high schools in their district – Clark Fork, Sandpoint, Priest River and Bonners Ferry – $500 apiece.

It was the second annual contest for legislators sponsored by the health insurance company to fight obesity and promote health. “We really had fun doing it,” Anderson said. “And it will be even more fun to get that money to the schools.”