The budget for the state Department of Administration includes a 106.5 percent increase in state general funds next year, largely because of $1.9 million in state funds for the Idaho Education Network; the network also would receive $1.4 million from dedicated funds, including federal grants and donations from the Albertson Foundation, for a total of $3.3 million next year.  Next year's general-fund expense is just the first of payments that will escalate; in the following year, the IEN will require $2.7 million in state general funds, and in the year after, $3 million. That's as grant funds  go away and the service becomes fully state supported.

Of the $3 million in total expense on into the future, roughly $2 million goes for monthly service fees for connectivity, paid to private contractors CenturyLink and Education Networks of America. The IEN funding plans were a big subject of debate last year, but drew no discussion or dissent this morning; the department's overall budget from all funds would rise by 13.4 percent next year.

With little discussion, legislative budget writers also set the budget for the Permanent Building Fund for next year to match Gov. Butch Otter's recommendation; that's the budget for constructing and maintaining state buildings. It includes $17.4 million for building alteration and repair projects next year, including projects for handicap accessibility and asbestos abatement. It also covers five projects: $1.5 million for the next phase of infrastructure renovation in the Capitol Annex; $1 million to complete an ISU building basement renovation; and $1.5 million to complete a fine arts building renovation at Lewis-Clark State College; both of those campus renovations were funded last year, but the funding was later cut. The budget also includes $650,000 to match an equal amount of federal money to remodel the Emmett Readiness Center for the military division, and $500,000 to replace a communications tower that serves all of northern Idaho's emergency communication facilities.