Appropriations panel tightens Highway Patrol budget language, keeps 3% salary increase

The Appropriations — Government Operations Division on an unspecified date reviewed the Highway Patrol budget and agreed to follow leadership directions that a 3% salary increase be included for all salaries, including any new FTEs, while removing proposed language that would allow agencies to move FTEs subject to available funds.

Committee members heard that the executive budget recommendation initially showed a large general fund increase for Highway Patrol; fiscal staff said the executive recommendation’s figures (about a 32.7% total general fund increase and roughly 23.02% ongoing in the version they reviewed) were corrected on a long sheet. After the correction the ongoing general fund increase was reported as 16.6% and the total general fund increase as 26.1%.

The committee reiterated four leadership instructions relayed earlier by the appropriations chair: include a 3% salary increase for all salaries (including new FTEs); do not include language allowing FTE adjustments “subject to available funds”; do not include equity funding in these division budgets at this time; and show new and vacant FTE pools separately by agency rather than pooled in OMB.

Fiscal staff confirmed that whether salary and health insurance increases are included for a new position has varied in past budgets but that under current guidance the salary and health insurance increases for any approved new positions will be included in the agency line-item presentation. A staff member said a long-sheet showing percentage increases was prepared and distributed to reflect the corrected totals.

Highway Patrol Chief of Staff Aaron Hummel told the committee the agency reduced some previously requested inflationary equipment amounts when reviewing actual needs with OMB. He said the agency requested $370,000 as an ongoing amount for equipment and replacement needs, reduced from a larger one-time request earlier in the process, and that a larger one-time fleet services request (roughly $4.3 million) had been included to cover potential volatility in fleet costs but that much of that one-time funding is expected to be returned.

Hummel described how the patrol pays a per-mile charge for vehicles leased through the state Department of Transportation. He said the department’s planning number would produce an effective rate of about $1.28 per mile based on a full staffing scenario and expected vehicle miles; by contrast the committee heard the current rate is roughly $0.80 per mile. Hummel said the Department of Transportation had cautioned agencies to prepare for possible significant increases in fleet rates because of vehicle purchase, repair and resale market volatility.

Committee members asked for clarification on the vacant-position pooling calculation and its effect on reported agency increases. Staff explained that last session some vacancy and new-FTE funding was pooled centrally in OMB; under current leadership guidance those pools will be shown per agency. Staff also said vacancy pool calculations use a percentage of ongoing permanent salaries and do not count overtime or seasonal/temporary positions.

No formal motions or votes on final appropriation amounts were recorded in the transcript; committee members discussed moving bills forward when final pooling percentages are set and staff said they could prepare amendment language and have it ready for the committee when leadership finalizes the guidance.

The committee recessed to review distributed budget sheets and requested one additional column be added to the statement of purpose printout to reflect the leadership changes.

Ending: Committee members said they would revisit the Highway Patrol budget after leadership provides final guidance on vacancy- and replacement-pool percentages and after members have had time to review the revised long sheet and amendment language.