Idaho legislative budget writers have backed a nearly 630 million dollar budget for higher education in Fiscal 2021. The spending plan passed Thursday by the Joint-Finance Appropriations Committee tops this year’s amount by more than $25,000,000 or 4.2 percent – and is more than a million dollars above what Governor Brad Little recommended. The budget includes $305,000,00 in state general fund support, as well as a 2% general fund cut for all higher education institutions as part of Little’s reduction all state agencies except K-12 public schools. While the State Board of Education ultimately decides how the state funding is doled out, the budget specifically earmarks $613,000 and 1-and-a-half full-time positions for Lewis-Clark State College’s new Schweitzer Career and Technical Education Center. The CTE on Thursday also got 2.5 million dollars as part of the committee’s $46,000,000 budget for the state’s Permanent Building Fund. Both spending proposals head to the House and Senate for consideration, though lawmakers rarely waiver from JFAC’s recommendations. (Lewiston Morning Tribune)
