State Independent Living Council seeks small budget shift to cover benefit and pay increases

Kellen McGurkin, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, told the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Jan. 15 that the Idaho State Independent Living Council (SILC) is recommending — and the governor supports — shifting $11,700 of appropriation from the council's dedicated fund to the general fund to cover part of statewide health benefit and change‑in‑employee‑compensation (CEC) increases.

The shift would reduce SILC's dedicated‑fund appropriation and increase its general‑fund appropriation so the general fund would pay roughly half of the recent statewide benefit and CEC adjustments that otherwise would come from SILC's dedicated fund, McGurkin said. He told members the dedicated fund is backed by federal independent living grants and has…