Idaho Commission on Aging asks JFAC to approve final ARPA drawdowns and small inflation increase for senior services

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee heard Feb. 24 that the Idaho Commission on Aging is seeking authority to draw down remaining ARPA funds and is asking for a modest ongoing general fund increase to cover inflation-related costs in FY 2026.

The Commission on Aging, represented to the committee by Colin McGurkin of the Legislative Services Office and Director Judy Taylor, told lawmakers the agency has used federal ARPA and other federal funds for service modernization — including meal programs, caregiver supports and a pilot to expand community health workers — and seeks one-time and limited ongoing state support to close out expiring federal awards and cover inflation.

McGurkin, a budget and policy analyst with Legislative Services, told the committee that the commission has used a recurring pattern of one-time federal appropriations from ARPA in FY2022–FY2024 and has recorded about $7,400,000 in ARPA-related expenditures tied to those awards. He said FY2024 expenditures for the agency totaled about $16,700,000, with trustee and benefit payments representing roughly 88% of that amount (about $10,400,000 in federal funds plus about…