BOISE, Idaho — Idaho’s state agencies are on the hot seat. The State of Idaho is $40 million behind for this fiscal year, but as Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) Co-Chair and District 14 Representative, Josh Tanner (R) told me, things “should” work themselves out.
"From 2026 to 2027, to 2028, we're still projecting a good revenue increase, just our spending is outpacing this," explained Tanner as he charted projected revenues vs. expenditures with Idaho News 6 Senior Reporter Don Nelson looking on.
Hear what JFAC Co-Chair Josh Tanner thinks about the state's proposed budget for 2026
Nelson asked Rep. Tanner if the state is in a good place financially speaking, to which he replied, "We're still in a very good spot."
Rep. Tanner is currently in his first year of service as a JFAC Co-Chair, a panel that controls the state's purse strings. His committee is tasked with writing and approving the annual budget, and he says every department has been asked to cut, but that's easier said than done.
On Monday, the Idaho Senate narrowly passed 4% budget cuts for most state agencies and departments for the current fiscal year 2026. However, Rep. Tanner says there's still a long road ahead.
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"That's the unique thing about JFAC in general, they actually split out and go to both floors, and then they get crossed back over, some start in the Senate, some start in the House, and then they go back over," said Rep. Tanner of the non-linear format of state lawmaking.
Now, the fiscal year 2026 budget cuts head to the House for a final vote.
Tanner says April is their big month when revenue comes in from taxes, and that "should" put the state on pace towards balancing the budget.
"I do not expect those numbers will come in short, and I do think we'll be right about on par where we're setting this current budget at," added Tanner.
The bottom line— the Idaho Constitution mandates a balanced budget. Rep. Tanner praised his fellow committee members for satisfying that mandate.
"Everyone on this committee does an amazing job," said Rep. Tanner. "The amount of work that you have to do to be on JFAC is tremendous."
Idaho News 6 will continue to follow the budget process all the way to the Governor's desk.
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