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$46.53 billion long bill and budget companion bills ready for hearings
Budget Overview and Narrative
Unlike what's happening at the federal level, the legislature's JBC has taken a razor blade to the state's checking account to shave dollars from many funds and programs to build up the necessary reductions for balancing state assets and liabilities.
According to the chart on p. 4 of the budget summary (see above), 11 departments will see a trim. The Governor is taking a $3 million+ shave to his operations. Health Care Policy and Financing will see the largest gain at about $353 million. That's mostly added costs to Medicaid, Children's Basic Health Plan, and the Old Age Pension Health and Medical Program. Funding will rise from $5.185 billion to $5.538 billion. K-12 financing will get an extra $185 million+ and Judicial will see an increase of $33 million+.
The General Fund starts at $17.97 billion, with transfers bringing the number up to $20.5 billion.
Nineteen of the budget companion bills have the word "repeal" in the title. These programs include rodent pest control, student leaders institute, behavioral health voucher programs, school mental health screening, disordered eating prevention program, kidney disease prevention education, and a household financial recovery pilot program, among others. Four bills include the word "eliminate" in the title, including the destroyed property tax reimbursement program.
Special Education will receive an additional $13 million+, a much-needed increase of 3.5%. English Language Learning programs will receive $1.26 million more which is perhaps just enough to tread water. Gifted and Talented programs get a relatively large boost by percent, 6.7%, but not especially large by amount, $1.058 million. Charter School Institute schools will get a $6.2 million cash fund contribution from the State Education Fund for mill levy equalization. Total support for this portion of CSI funding is $54.6 million from the General Fund and State Education Fund.
The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing has a bewildering array of ups and downs in various programs. FTE numbers will decline from 2024-2025 to 2025-2-26 by seven staff. Total funds for this department are $18,158,597,427 with $10,473,586,633 from the feds. Let's hope that federal amount doesn't go the way of the Musk chainsaw.
Individuals following the budget details will learn a great deal about the underpinnings of the state. Legislators will need some Red Bull to keep up with debates.
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