State Owes $14M For Luna IENetwork

State Department of Administration Director Teresa Luna is requesting a supplemental appropriation of $14.45 million for unexpected costs for the Idaho Education Network – about half of that for the current year, and half for next year – after the state failed to receive federal e-rate funding it anticipated. Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee members are aghast. Gov. Butch Otter is proposing to fund the amount by dipping into the $29 million he had otherwise planned to transfer to the Public Education Stabilization Fund at the end of fiscal year 2014, the current year/ Betsy Russell , Eye on Boise.

• With unexpected IEN costs, other budgets could suffer
• JFAC members ‘very, very concerned’ over $14M IEN request
• $14M Idaho Education Network problem tied to Syringa lawsuit
• Luna on $14M IEN problem: ‘They’re business people and they’re not going to do it for free’

Thoughts?