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Legislative analyst outlines State Independent Living Council budget, recommends general-fund shift for FY2026
Summary
LSO analyst Kellen McGurkin told the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee that the Idaho State Independent Living Council (SILC) spends nearly all available dedicated‑fund revenue each year and the governor proposes shifting $11,700 of appropriation from SILC’s dedicated fund to the general fund to cover statewide salary and benefit increases.
Kellen McGurkin, a Legislative Services Office budget and policy analyst, told the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on Jan. 15 that the Idaho State Independent Living Council generally spends nearly all its dedicated‑fund revenue and typically maintains an ending balance near $280,000.
McGurkin said the council’s dedicated fund is supported by federal independent‑living grants, and the apparent year‑to‑year difference between appropriation and expenditure largely reflects differing federal grant periods. “Overspent isn’t a term I would use,” he said, explaining the timing mismatch between federal grant receipts and the state fiscal year.
The council has four full‑time positions — including Executive Director Mel Levitan — and spends about 69–70% of appropriated funds on personnel. McGurkin said the governor’s FY2026 recommendation would shift $11,700 of appropriation from SILC’s dedicated fund to the general fund so the general fund would cover roughly half of the statewide health benefit and change‑in‑employee‑compensation (CEC) increases that otherwise would be charged to SILC’s dedicated fund.
Levitan, SILC’s executive director, thanked the committee and highlighted recent audit work. He said the council used a $10,000 line‑item increase to hire an external auditor and that audits for 2022–2024 were completed this year with no findings. “We make the most that we can with a very small budget,” Levitan said, adding that SILC travels statewide to reach people who cannot come to Boise.
Committee members asked clarifying questions about fund balances and the dedicated fund’s revenue volatility. McGurkin noted that Title I funding under the Rehabilitation Act increased by about $30,000 in FY2023 — the first such increase in about a decade — but that overall FY2026 revenue expectations do not materially change.
No formal vote occurred during the presentation. The committee received the analysis and welcomed SILC leadership and staff to answer future questions as needed.
