Republican budget procedures don’t add up

By Lauren Necochea
Reader Contributor

Our state budget determines what we invest in and who we prioritize. It is crafted by Idaho’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, which includes both House and Senate members, using a model that was once nationally recognized for its effectiveness. Sadly, our budget procedures have been dismantled, and JFAC regularly makes headlines for its utter dysfunction.

The erosion of the committee’s integrity began several years ago, when GOP leadership reduced Democratic representation to one person among the 10 House members. Then, the Republican co-chairs invented new rules governing the committee without getting formal approval. Now, chaos ensues with unclear voting procedures, seemingly made up on the fly to suit people in power.

Lauren Necochea. File photo.

For example, committee leadership unilaterally decided that absent members’ votes automatically count as “no” votes. This tactic, designed to kill budgets, is unlike voting procedures for any other legislative committee. The committee upended the longstanding, commonsense practice of setting a revenue estimate so they know how many dollars are available before spending them. This year, much of the money was spent before consensus on how much was available. 

One day, the committee leaders attempted to send a failed budget bill to the Idaho House of Representatives, even though they had previously stated there was no mechanism to send failed bills to the House. Their excuse? They forgot to bring their scripts to the meeting. Even some Republican committee members are questioning the haphazard decisions of leaders in their own party.

Senate Democrats Janie Ward-Engelking and Melissa Wintrow recently had only one route to stop reckless budget cuts that would have harmed Idaho’s children, veterans and working families. They heroically walked out of the meeting to deny the committee the quorum needed to make those cuts.

While the Democratic senators were able to stop some harm, they can’t prevent all of them. And the new JFAC’s extremist tilt is slashing popular investments that would strengthen Idaho.

JFAC zeroed out a boost to rural physician recruitment that would have made it easier and less costly for Idahoans to see a doctor. The committee also rejected a much-needed $15 million investment to increase the supply of affordable workforce housing. 

Republican JFAC members are even using their power to shut down services that don’t cost the state a dime. The committee rejected federally funded energy rebates that would have lowered energy bills for Idaho families. Funds slated for Idahoans will now flow to other states. Another federal funding stream would have helped rural libraries purchase computers. Republican legislators refused to support it.

The people of Idaho deserve a responsible budgeting process that allows working families to thrive, protects our quality of life and operates with integrity. We must elect leaders who will deliver this.

Lauren Necochea is chair of the Idaho Democratic Party and a former District 19 legislator. Necochea spent a decade leading nonprofit programs dedicated to research and advocacy in tax policy, health care and children’s issues.