The Idaho Spending Index examines appropriation bills on several fronts to add important context to lawmakers’ discussions as they are considered on the floor of the House and Senate. Among the issues we look at in drawing a conclusion about a budget:

Does the agency requesting these funds serve a proper role of government? Has wasteful or duplicative spending been identified within the agency, and if so, has that spending been eliminated or corrected? Does the budget examine existing spending to look for opportunities to contain spending, e.g., through a base reduction? If there is a maintenance budget, is that maintenance budget appropriate? Are the line items appropriate in type and size, and are they absolutely necessary for serving the public? Does the budget contemplate the addition of new employees or programs? Does the appropriation increase dependency on the federal government?

Our analysis is intended to provide lawmakers and their constituents with a frame of reference for conservative budgeting, by summarizing whether appropriation measures contain items that are sincerely objectionable or sincerely supportable.

Rating: +1

Bill Description: Senate Bill 1287 grants $15,283,000 as both a fiscal year 2022 supplemental and fiscal year 2023 original appropriation to support the Department of Administration’s Bond Payments Program.

Analysis: 

This appropriation bill is getting a positive rating for paying off $175.8 million of bond debt, greatly reducing the state’s bond debt portfolio. Reducing debt is a legitimate use of General Fund dollars.