Conference committee shifts some capital projects from bonds to cash, trims several allocations

Senator Wendy Harrison, chair of the Senate Corrections & Institutions Committee, told members of a Senate–House conference committee that the Senate is generally supportive of using cash dollars instead of bonds to pay for some capital projects so the state can “reduce the amount of borrowing” and lower debt service costs.

The committee discussed a set of differences between the governor’s recommendation, the House proposal and the Senate response and agreed to several specific changes and reclassifications. Harrison said the Senate requested a report from the Joint Fiscal Office (JFO) to review the trade-offs of the bonded‑versus‑cash approach and that the committee intends to continue the conversation when the legislature reconvenes.

Key decisions and discussion points included reducing the FY2027 allocation for a “3‑acre parcel” stormwater‑compliance line item (moved down as the committee sought cash to preserve other items in section 4), cutting a planned $200,000 allocation for Pittsburgh Academy firing‑range upgrades (Senate staff believed the work was not yet at the stage needing that amount), and lowering the Burlington Cherry Street parking‑garage appropriation from $500,000 to $250,000 to free cash for other needs.

Committee members noted the Bennetts and Battle Monument appropriation (recorded in committee as a prior House figure of $525,000) was reduced in the conference package to $425,000; conferees said they reached that number in consultation with a local commissioner and asked staff to verify whether insurance will cover storm damage and fencing repairs before finalizing the amount.

Other items the committee discussed or adjusted included: - A $250,000 cash allocation for a recovery‑residence purchase in Saint Albans to be administered through the Department of Health and Community Development housing program; conferees said that sum is not the full project cost and ownership details were not specified in the meeting transcript. - A veterans‑home incubator farm project on a veterans‑home parcel (described in committee as about 12 acres) that requested roughly $127,000 for first‑year establishment; the conference package included $45,000 toward initial equipment and startup. - A $25,000 cash addition for the Walleye Association and a $35,000 increase for a dry‑hydrant program (the S recorded request was for $70,000 but committee provided $35,000). - Fire apparatus funding for a brush‑type vehicle described as a “good scribe for a fire truck” that one community agency had used previously from New Hampshire; conferees said the item came through the Appropriations process. - White River Junction courthouse construction funding shown in two line items that together total $8,000,000; members discussed why the project budget was split between lines in the package.

On procedure, Harrison said the committee shaded differences in their working spreadsheet to show where either body departs from the governor’s recommendation and that the Senate intends to fund FY2027 at the necessary levels if additional cash is needed. The Senate asked JFO for analysis of the pluses and minuses of the cash‑versus‑bonding approach; conferees said they expect to revisit the issue in January when the legislature returns.

Members asked several follow‑up questions (for example about insurance coverage for monument repairs, property ownership for purchased recovery residences, the full cost of incubator farm startup, and who would hold title or maintain improvements on veterans‑home property). Staff replied that some of those details were not specified in the meeting and that the committee would follow up by letter or in the package materials. Harrison said the conference package should be circulated later the same day and asked staff to confirm outstanding details.

The meeting produced committee positions and spending adjustments but did not record any formal roll‑call votes in the transcript; conferees described negotiated edits, funding reclassifications and requests for further information rather than final enacted law.