Budget debate: ‘Pennywise and pound foolish’

The first general-fund budget that was up for JFAC to set this morning, for the office of the governor, led to a debate, after Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, proposed the governor’s recommendation - a 1.1 percent cut in state general funds for next year, and 1.9 percent cut in total funds - and Sen. Dean Mortimer, R-Idaho Falls, proposed an alternative plan with a deeper cut of 2.2 percent, cutting just over $40,000 rather than $18,700. Mortimer’s motion failed on an 8-12 vote, and Keough’s then passed.

“We are asking all of our departments and agencies to make the necessary sacrifice to get a balanced budget,” Mortimer said. “I’m going to be making proposals in the days subsequent where the cuts are going to be significant, and I, in good conscience, cannot make those cuts without making this cut.” Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, said the “meager amount of money” in question didn’t warrant overstepping constitutional divisions between the legislative and executive branches, and he cautioned that budget “targets” JFAC has discussed are guidelines, not requirements for every agency budget. “In some cases, we are starting to prohibit our entities from being able to fulfill their constitutional duty,” Cameron said. “We are starting to impact the ability for us to provide good government.”

Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, said, “I think it’s going to be really hard to vote to cut education or to cut any of the others, Health & Welfare, unless we lead by example, and I really think, I think the governor would be on board to lead by example.” Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Bonneville, said, “In this hard economic time that we’re in, all the departments need to make necessary cuts across the board, and we’re asking all agencies to participate.” They proposed a similar cut to the next budget, the governor’s Division of Financial Management, though that agency already has its employees taking hundreds of furlough hours and is holding positions open including the state’s chief economist.

Said Cameron, “I would just caution the committee that we not be pennywise and pound foolish.” He said, “You increase furlough hours to the point where they are unable to make appropriate decisions, it will end up costing the state more money in the long run.” That substitute motion died on a 4-16 vote.