Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Aeronautics topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
ITD seeks funds for airport grants, aircraft repairs and deferred maintenance at State Street headquarters
Summary
The department requested grants and equipment funding for airports, $15.5 million in deferred maintenance and other enhancements; ITD said some cash is already available but specific project ROI is not yet defined.
Idaho Transportation Department representatives told the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee they are seeking one‑time and ongoing enhancements aimed at community airports, aircraft maintenance and deferred maintenance for ITD‑owned buildings.
Brooke Dupree, the Legislative Services Office analyst, summarized Transportation Services division requests including $15.5 million in deferred maintenance for ITD buildings, IT equipment requests recommended by the Office of Information Technology Services, and a governor‑recommended $10 million initiative for airport grants and equipment. The aeronautics program provides grants to municipalities under the Idaho Airport Aid program and is funded in part by aviation fuel taxes and fees.
Director Scott Stokes described the aviation revenue picture and explained how the proposed governor’s initiative would be used. On fuel taxes he said, "it's 6¢ and 7¢. I think the 6 is jet fuel, 7¢ is avgas... and then for gasoline, diesel is 32¢." Stokes said approximately $4,000,000 in interest has been generated from the Strategic Initiatives Aeronautics Fund and that remaining receipts of aviation fuel tax total about $500,000 available for grants.
Stokes said the governor's equipment request would likely fund community airport grants, aircraft maintenance (including engine replacement costs of about $800,000 per engine for ITD aircraft), and repairs to a maintenance facility near the Boise airport. "We will push as much to that as community grants as possible," he said, adding that airport projects are community‑sponsored and therefore move more slowly.
The Transportation Services package also includes a list of capital and IT replacement items, a $2.9 million IT equipment request, and $15.5 million to address HVAC, windows, roofs and other deferred maintenance at state‑owned facilities, including the State Street headquarters. Dupree noted the governor recommended $10 million for the grants and equipment initiative and otherwise recommended enhancements as requested.
Ending: ITD representatives said funding is available in dedicated aeronautics receipts and interest; the committee asked for further performance metrics and project lists to assess ROI for the governor’s initiative.
