Commission on Aging seeks one-time ARPA spending, asks for small ongoing inflation increase

The Idaho Commission on Aging asked the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Feb. 24 to approve small ongoing inflation funding and to allow one-time use of remaining federal ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) balances before the program expiration date.

Colin McGurkin, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, told the committee the commission implements the federal Older Americans Act and the Idaho Senior Services Act and provides direct services through six local Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). He said the commission’s FY 2024 expenditures totaled about $16.7 million, with roughly 88% of that spent as “trustee and benefit payments” to local AAAs — about $10.4 million in federal funds and $4.2 million from the general fund.

The request matters because ARPA funds available to the commission are one-time and expire Sept. 30, 2025, and the commission has used prior ARPA awards for modernization projects, meal programs and caregiver supports. McGurkin said the commission has followed a pattern…