Idaho wolf-killing account to get $400K more for ‘slush fund’

BOISE – The Idaho Legislature’s joint budget committee voted Wednesday to give $400,000 to the Wolf Control Depredation Board next year to kill problem wolves – even though the board will start the year with more than the $600,000 it’s budgeted to spend.

Rep. Phylis King, D-Boise, proposed that the Legislature allocate the board more.

“I think they have plenty of money,” she said. But her motion died on a 6-14 vote. Three Democrats and three Republicans, including North Idaho Rep. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay, backed King’s proposal.

Rep. Van Burtenshaw, R-Terreton, said the board shouldn’t be penalized for being frugal.

“The little bit of slush fund that is there is nothing more than people being very thrifty with the funds they have been provided,” Burtenshaw said.

Next year will be the fourth year Idaho has allocated $400,000 in state tax funds to kill problem wolves; livestock interests and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game also are contributing to the effort. The budget bill still needs passage in the full Senate and House and the governor’s signature to become law, but budgets rarely change once they’re set by the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee.