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House finance panel presents $16.27 billion biennial budget; general fund is small share of total
Summary
The House finance committee outlined a $16.267 billion total budget, with roughly 24% sourced from the general fund and federal funds providing about one-third of revenues; members said the plan required cuts and fee increases to close an expected shortfall.
The House Finance Committee presented a proposed $16,267,016,000 biennial budget that committee members said balances priorities while responding to a revenue shortfall.
Committee leaders told members the total-budget figure is roughly $16.27 billion, down from the governor’s $16.7 billion starting point. They said federal funding accounts for about one-third of the total budget while the general fund represents approximately 24% of revenues; health and human services and education remain the largest program categories.
Committee members framed the package as a constrained compromise. The presentation emphasized that the general fund, which pays for programs most affected by state tax policy, is a relatively small slice of the state’s total spending but a critical control point for program priorities. Members noted the budget must address a current-year shortfall the committee expects to be roughly $150 million and that the state’s “rainy day” balance will decline unless revenue or spending decisions change.
To close the gap, committee leaders said they combined targeted reductions, “back-of-budget” management cuts that ask agencies to find savings, fee increases tied to user services (for example vehicle registration and licensing), and limited asset sales. They also described structural changes to several dedicated funds and to the distribution of trust-account revenues.
The committee repeatedly emphasized that the budget priorities preserved direct patient care, core public safety responsibilities and commitments to veterans and developmental-disability services while reducing other statutory and discretionary spending. Members said the package is intended as the House position to send to the Senate, and that the Senate may revise revenue or rate decisions before final passage.
The plan does not record roll-call votes in the transcript of the hearing; committee members and attendees asked numerous procedural and substantive questions during the multi-hour presentation. The panel’s leaders said they expected follow-up review and possible adjustments in the Senate and through fiscal committee mechanisms during the biennium.
