Bill Description: Senate Bill 1363 appropriates the maintenance budget for agencies related to natural resources.
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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 bill would reduce the general funds base by $3,244,500, increase the dedicated base by $993,900, and decrease the federal base by $1,469,500 for a total base reduction of $3,720,100. The total budget decreases from a FY26 original appropriation of $663,047,000 to a new FY27 maintenance appropriation of $484,547,600, a decrease of 13.67 FTP and $178,499,400, or 26.9%. Note that most of the reductions have to do with the end of federal funding for projects as they are completed and also do not include enhancements, which distorts the comparison.
The particularly large drop from the FY26 original to FY27 maintenance budget is mostly attributable to the removal of over $300 million in federal and over $100 million in dedicated one-time appropriations. Note the relatively small total base reduction.
These agencies did comply with the 5% cuts and reduced their base budgets to comply with fiscal limitations in a deficit year. However, from FY20 to FY27 this group of agencies has also grown faster than inflation and population growth would prescribe. A maintenance budget must begin with the correct baseline before its growth or reduction can be rationalized as either positive or negative.
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