Idaho Senate seems to walk back ITD deal
Chamber appears to be reconsidering $53M plan to sell campus
The Idaho Senate on Tuesday returned the “enhancement budgets” for the Idaho Transportation Department and the Department of Administration, both of which included language that would walk back a $52 million deal to sell the old ITD campus.
The sale has been a sticking point for both budgets, with each passing the House by just one vote. The ITD budget includes $32 million to remodel the ITD State Street headquarters after a 2022 flood damaged the building and left it vacant the past couple of years.
House Speaker Mike Moyle has called the sale of the campus a “bad idea,” BoiseDev reported. Hawkins Companies, a Boise-based real estate development and property management company, agreed to buy the building in September 2023.
Sen. Kevin Cook, R-Idaho Falls, the sponsor for the ITD budget, HB 723, on the Senate floor Tuesday asked for unanimous consent to send the bill back to the budget-writing committee. This was done with no discussion.
Later, Senate President Pro-Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise, also asked to send back the Department of Administration budget, HB 726. Budget sponsor Sen. Scott Herndon, R-Sagle, objected.
Winder said the administration department budget also contained the language regarding the ITD campus, and thought it would make sense to have the Joint Finance and Appropriation Committee (JFAC) consider both bills at the same time.
Herndon argued that the House, which had already passed the budget, hadn’t been consulted on pulling the budgets back. He also argued that a decision should be made on the ITD budget first before sending back the other administration budget.
Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise, said it would be quicker to take up both at the same time.
The ITD budget totals $592 million, including $329 million for road and bridge maintenance.
There will likely be a JFAC meeting this morning to address the budgets.
Guido covers Idaho politics for the Lewiston Tribune, Moscow-Pullman Daily News and Idaho Press of Nampa. She may be contacted at lguido@idahopress.com and can be found on X @EyeOnBoiseGuido.
