JBC staff outline Department of Revenue budget; committee approves select line items and RFIs

John Catlett, Joint Budget Committee (JBC) staff, told the committee the staff recommendation for the Department of Revenue reflected both savings and cost pressures: the R1 and R2 requests together produce about $1,300,000 in general‑fund savings while the department’s overall general‑fund total rose by roughly 4.6% year over year, driven largely by employee compensation and technical adjustments. "You will see the R1 and R2 request result in a general fund savings of about $1,300,000," Catlett said.

Staff summarized multiple technical adjustments across divisions — particularly contract escalators in the DMV, the Specialized Business Group and Taxation Services — and noted prior‑year actions netted a modest decrease of about $135,000 in total funds. Catlett told members staff’s net recommendation is roughly $2.1 million less than the governor’s request.

The committee approved several staff motions on line‑item detail and base appropriations with unanimous or near‑unanimous votes: the R1 general‑fund reductions (vote 6–0), the Executive Director’s Office line‑item detail (6–0), taxation business group base appropriation (motioned), and line‑item detail for the DMV (6–0). Committee members also approved long‑bill footnotes and requests for information (RFIs), including continuation of an annual marijuana cash‑fund status report due Nov. 1.

The briefing closed with staff summarizing additional balancing options, noting most options would affect cash funds or require FTE reductions. Craig Harper, GBC staff, urged the committee to reconvene the following day to avoid falling behind on supplemental package and amendment work. The committee recessed to continue work tomorrow.