Note: This year IFF rated maintenance bills according to a more refined system. This is an enhancement bill, and will be rated as a standalone bill. IFF will only consider enhancement line items in these ratings. This means that FTP reductions passed in maintenance legislation will not be evaluated here, among other things.
Bill Description: Senate Bill 1427 is an enhancement of $2,417,000 and 0.00 new full-time positions for the Idaho Department of Lands for fiscal year 2027. This legislation appropriates a total of $78,824,700 and 334.91 full-time positions to the agency.
Rating: -2
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.)?
This legislation authorizes onetime spending for the Department of Lands of $2,417,000, adding additional expenditures after last year’s (FY26) onetime spending of $5,814,900. Onetime spending is often even more volatile than ongoing spending, which is to be expected due to the onetime expenses generally being utilized for projects or capital outlay. This also calls for special scrutiny and discernment.
There are numerous onetime enhancements, most from dedicated funds. These include Fire Radio Equipment ($225,000 DF), Covered Storage for Vehicles ($195,000 DF), UTV in North Idaho ($24,200 DF), Idaho Geological Survey Support ($145,000 DF), Replacement Items ($930,800 DF) and OITS Hardware ($756,700 DF). Some of these expenditures are unwarranted, especially so in a deficit year.
(-1)
The last one time expenditure is a Budget Restoration for Fire Prep of ($140,300 GF). This restoration represents an unwarranted expenditure. Almost all agencies faced the additional 2% JFAC holdback, and agencies asking for exemptions or restorations do a disservice to agencies that accepted the entire 5% holdback.
(-1)
