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Emergency Management Council warned to pare nonessential programs as state faces tight budget
Summary
State emergency management leaders told the EMC that OFM budget guidance requires agencies to identify nonstatutory 'nice-to-do' activities for reduction; disaster-response accounts will be prioritized while new fiscal growth is off the table.
Chair Kirk Holmes opened the meeting and turned to Robert Eaton for an overview of the state fiscal outlook and intergovernmental affairs. Eaton said agencies must review programs in light of Office of Financial Management guidance and prepare to limit growth: "we may not even be able to maintain baseline budget at this point," he said, urging a focus on statutory core services.
Eaton told members that decision packages seeking new funding will be unlikely in the coming budget cycle and that EMD will prioritize continued funding for the disaster response account and some grant matches. He recommended identifying routine but nonstatutory activities for possible reduction and described a planned process to charter a stakeholder group to refine guidance (referencing 01/1811 work). The council discussed the balance between sustaining baseline capabilities and avoiding cuts that would hollow out recovery or readiness functions.
