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JFAC moves LUMA costs to budget, approves controller request totaling $15.24 million
Summary
The committee approved requests to place LUMA project costs on the FY2026 budget, adding positions and operating funding; analysts said the move increases transparency rather than new spending.
The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee approved funding changes Wednesday to move the LUMA enterprise accounting project’s costs onto the fiscal 2026 budget for the Office of the State Controller.
Budget analyst Frances Lippitt described the action as an accounting and transparency change: “When we first started the LUMA project we put that project in a continuously appropriated account which expires at the end of this fiscal year. Because of that we have to bring these costs on budget,” she said. LUMA‑related personnel and operating costs are transitioned to the general fund and the computer services center charges are placed on normal budget lines.
The package approved by JFAC includes enhancement requests for LUMA personnel (seven FTP plus related costs), operating costs for the computer services center (dedicated funds), computer center charges shifted to the general fund, two financial specialist positions to support shared services, and one communications manager position for transparency initiatives. The committee motion (mover: Representative Petzke; second: Senator Galloway) added $10,051,300 from the general fund and $5,191,700 from dedicated funds for a combined $15,243,000 and 10 additional FTEs.
Committee members emphasized that the bulk of these figures represent existing project spending now being “on‑budget” rather than new largescale additions. One senator noted that the office’s actual FY2024 expenditures were higher than the requested FY2026 appropriation, making the request smaller than it appears compared with prior continuous appropriation reporting.
The committee adopted associated language requiring transfer of indirect cost recoveries to the general fund and authorizing a correction for an erroneous billing identified for the division of veteran services.
What’s next: The committee’s due‑pass recommendation will be added to the FY2026 budget bill and accompanying language for ledger and accounting changes.
