Governor's office seeks to replenish emergency fund, proposes constituent‑services and anniversary spending

Christopher Lahoset, budget analyst for the Legislative Services Office, briefed the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on Feb. 18 on the Executive Office of the Governor’s FY2026 requests and recent spending activity.

The governor’s office requested a $1,350,000 one‑time cash transfer from the general fund to the Governor’s Emergency Fund to restore the fund’s cash balance to its $2,000,000 base appropriation and requested $250,000 one‑time general‑fund for America 2.50 activities tied to a presidential executive order cited by the office. The office also requested $45,000 one‑time funding for IT replacement items.

Lahoset summarized the Governor’s Emergency Fund’s recent use, noting roughly $1.4 million was spent in FY2023–FY2024 for reimbursements tied to the University of Idaho Moscow murder investigations and the Esto Perpetua (fight fentanyl) program. He explained the statutory framework described in the budget presentation that allows the governor to expend emergency fund monies for qualifying purposes under Idaho code.

Committee members asked for transaction‑level detail. Senator Zitterbeld and others asked for spreadsheets that break down the use of emergency fund and charter/flight costs. Lahoset said those reports exist and would be provided to the full committee. Senator Hart and others queried the constituent‑services software line in the budget book; Lahoset and Division of Financial Management Administrator Lori Wolf clarified that the budget language referenced a constituent management platform and that Salesforce had been considered but the office had not yet purchased Salesforce due to cost concerns.

Wolf, appearing for the Division of Financial Management, explained the common practice of reimbursing personnel costs across agencies for staff who perform work on behalf of other entities and said that process predates the current administration. She described the longstanding “10P” personnel reimbursement practice and said it was replicated in the newer LUMA accounting system. Several legislators pressed for greater transaction detail about transfers shown in Transparent Idaho; Wolf and Lahoset committed to providing itemized reports and schedules for charter flights, reimbursements, and the emergency fund.

On constituent‑services software, the legislature had appropriated one‑time implementation funding in FY2025. Wolf said the governor’s office has not yet spent those funds and was evaluating alternatives to Salesforce to reduce costs and possibly leverage technology available in DFM and ITS.

On the America 2.50 request, Lahoset said the governor’s office intends to coordinate Idaho’s participation in the White House task force anniversary events, honor Idahoans’ achievements, and participate in a national exhibition; the office told analysts it would collaborate with an existing America 250 advisory council.

Committee members asked for itemized IT‑hardware lists tied to the $45,000 request and for spending detail on travel and charter costs; analysts and DFM staff agreed to provide the requested information to the full committee.

Wolf closed by thanking the committee and emphasizing the executive branch’s interest in preserving a small emergency fund and deploying constituent services tools while remaining cost‑conscious.

Next steps: analysts and DFM to deliver the requested spreadsheets on emergency fund spending, charter flights, personnel reimbursements, and IT hardware lists for committee review.