Committee reviews Department of Administration budget; governor's housing fund faces depletion in 2026

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Presidents Day reviewed the Department of Administration's fiscal 2026 budget, including a request to restore the governor's housing fund and funding for capital and operations across the department.

Frances Lippett, budget and policy analyst with legislative services, told the committee the governor's housing committee recommends replenishing the fund and that the monthly housing stipend is currently set at $4,551. "Without an appropriation, the fund will be fully depleted by August 2026," Lippett said.

Lippett described the department's structure and funding sources: four divisions, five budgeted programs, and use of dedicated funds sourced mostly from agency payments for services. She said roughly 10% of the department's appropriation is from the general fund and that the department manages the Capitol Mall, Chinden Campus and other state-owned facilities, provides state employee benefits and manages procurements above $10,000.

Director Steve Bailey, who accompanied agency staff to the committee, said the governor's housing committee meets annually and "the position was...just continue with the stipend until more substantive discussions could take place around the mansion." Bailey said there remains land set aside for a potential mansion, currently under a revocable easement with the City of Boise.

Lippett said the department requested $30,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2025 but the legislature did not fund it; the department is now requesting $60,600 for fiscal year 2026. She said the department also requested $660,600 from the general fund in another slide (presentation) to provide ongoing appropriation to fund the housing stipend; she repeated that without an appropriation the fund will be depleted in summer 2026.

Committee members asked where the statutory authority sits and whether the stipend should belong in the Department of Administration or the Governor's Office. Director Bailey said the budget historically has been carried in Administration because the department has supported the governor's housing committee and performed renovation work when a building was maintained. He agreed that the committee could be provided the statutory history and requested documents on the governor's housing committee and its prior reports.

The committee also received an overview of department operations, including that the division of public works accounts for most department expenditures for maintenance and that the department has experienced a turnover rate similar to the state's average. Lippett outlined additional enhancement requests in the department's budget for FY2026, including personnel and equipment requests; the governor recommended the requested enhancements.

The committee did not take a formal vote during the discussion. Lippett offered to provide the committee with the historical report on governor's housing and additional clarifying information about continuous appropriations and fund accounting.