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ITD requests $10 million spending authority for airport grants and flags aircraft engine repairs; seeks $5 million transit supplemental
Summary
ITD told JFAC it wants $10 million in spending authority for a governor's initiative to support community airport grants and equipment, including costly airplane engine repairs, and requested a $5 million FY25 supplemental to reimburse local public transit projects eligible for federal funds.
The Idaho Transportation Department asked the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee for spending authority to provide grants and equipment purchases for Idaho airports and for a $5 million supplemental to reimburse public transit providers for federal‑eligible projects.
Director Scott Stokes told lawmakers the governor’s initiative includes $10 million of aviation funds the department would use for community airport grants, local equipment needs and some ITD‑owned equipment repairs. Stokes said one of ITD’s airplanes will need an engine replacement within a few years, and an engine is “about $800,000 apiece,” meaning replacement or major repairs would be a material equipment cost.
Brooke Dupree summarized the aeronautics fund history for the committee, noting that the fund has received aviation fuel tax and jet fuel tax receipts, fees and some transfers. Dupree said the state previously moved a $32 million general‑fund transfer to a strategic aviation fund; Stokes told the committee that about $4 million of interest has been generated that could support community grants and that some receipts remain unappropriated and available for grants or equipment.
On public transit, Dupree and ITD staff asked for a $5 million FY25 supplemental and a $10 million ongoing appropriation request (broken into federal/local fund components in the budget book) to reimburse local public transit jurisdictions for projects eligible for federal reimbursement. ITD said it expects reimbursements for more projects this fiscal year than current appropriation authority allows and that the supplemental is needed so local providers can be reimbursed for eligible costs.
Representative Horman asked for measures of return on investment; Stokes replied grant awards would be reported and administered like other aeronautics and transit grant programs and that ITD reports delivery and completion of those projects to the legislature.
Ending: The committee asked for additional detail on which airports or equipment would receive funds and for performance metrics tied to governor‑level initiatives; ITD said cash is available in the aeronautics account and that it would provide reporting on awarded grants and equipment decisions.
