The Senate has voted 34-0 in favor of SB 1170, its first budget bill, this one for the Department of Finance, which receives no state general funds. The bill, however, like all state budget bills that have come out of JFAC, includes a 5 percent reduction in personnel funds and a 3 percent across-the-board pay cut for employees. Senate Finance Chairman Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, told the Senate, "You may know based on discussion that's taken place in the hallways that there is quite a bit of controversy. ... An agreement has been reached (with Gov. Butch Otter)." JFAC, "hopefully next week," will vote on that, he said, to reduce the personnel funds reduction from 5 percent to 3 percent, and eliminate the requirement for the across-the-board pay cut, "which will override and supersede each of these bills," Cameron said. "The agreement obviously hasn't been voted on, it hasn't been voted on by the joint committee, but it is a working document." He offered to provide a copy to anyone who wants one.

Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, thanked Cameron, and said she looks forward to seeing a trailer bill to change the clause in the various budget bills. "This is actually a dedicated-fund agency," she said, but the bill includes the pay cut. "That doesn't help our general fund, but it does impact those employees and the economy."

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