The Idaho Spending Index serves to provide a fiscally conservative perspective on state budgeting while providing an unbiased measurement of how Idaho lawmakers apply these values to their voting behavior on appropriations bills. Each bill is analyzed within the context of the metrics below. They receive one (+1) point for each metric that is satisfied by freedom-focused policymaking and lose one (-1) point for each instance in which the inverse is true. The sum of these points composes the score for the bill.
Rating: (-4)
Bill Description: House Bill 418 is an enhancement of $12,323,700 and 0.00 new full-time positions for the Division of Career and Technical Education for fiscal year 2026. This legislation appropriates a total of $109,755,300 and 569.14 full-time positions to the agency.
Does this budget enact powers and activities that extend beyond the proper role of government? Conversely, does this budget fulfill the proper role of government?
This legislation includes $50,0000 in general funds to qualify for additional federal matching funds for adult literacy programs. These funds are intended to:
“Deliver Graduate Equivalency Degree (GED) test preparation, high school equivalency certificate preparation, college preparation in reading, writing, and mathematics, workforce basic skills education, workplace English, digital skills training, basic literacy courses, and preapprenticeship preparation.”
Not only does this increase federal and state general fund spending, but this program is outside the proper role of government. Though the intent behind this measure is commendable, it is not the proper role of the state to provide free literacy instruction to adults — who should be responsible for their own education.
(-1)
Does this budget incur any wasteful spending among discretionary funds, including new line items? Conversely, does this budget contain any provisions that serve to reduce spending where possible (i.e. base reductions, debt reconciliation, etc.)?
House Bill 418 contains an additional $10 million appropriation for expanding CTE capacity at technical colleges throughout the state. These funds would be used to “allow technical and community colleges the ability to stand up new workforce training and in-demand career programs due to high enrollment and waitlists.” This is only the latest of the governor’s spending proposals on workforce development and career and technical education.
Idaho has no shortage of career and technical education spending as of late. Colleges already received funding for facility expansions, new staff, programs, and tuition subsidies (even this year). All this, without a true evaluation of how this spending has impacted the workforce — beyond how many students were funded and slots became available. It is imprudent to add yet another $10 million to these institutions without a clear understanding of the efficacy of these funds.
(-1)
Is the continuation or growth in ongoing spending, if any, inappropriate for the changes in circumstances, scope of the agency, or current economic environment? Conversely, is the continuation or growth in ongoing spending appropriate given any change in circumstances or economic pressures?
This legislation funds ongoing spending for the Division of Career and Technical Education at $107,431,600, growing from the base by 36.8% in the last three years. This rate of increase is nearly 23 points faster than what would be prescribed by inflationary pressures and growth.
Because of the accelerated growth in this budget the last three years, a truly fiscally responsible enhancement budget for FY2026 would reverse the growth with a negative appropriation — a reduction to the base budget.
(-1)
Does this budget perpetuate or expand state dependence on federal dollars, thereby violating principles of federalism? Conversely, does this budget actively reduce the amount of federal dollars used to balance this budget?
House Bill 418 adds another $2.3 million in federal funding to expand various grants within the agency. First, this appropriation includes $50,000 in general funds to support a larger federal match for adult literacy programs, as mentioned earlier in this rating. But there is another appropriation for $2,273,700 in spending authority for various federal grants. The agency noted that these funds would be used to “help adults acquire the basic skills needed to join and be successful in the workforce” — a very ambiguous description of its intentions for these funds. The agency is already more than 11% reliant on federal funds to support its programs and operations. These enhancements would add yet another several million dollars to this dependency.
(-1)
