Carl Bjerke — Senator Carl Bjerke asks whether transportation is included in the 'all other' category and raises a question about the CAT Fund. The speaker then responds to Bjerke’s question and indicates he will follow up with the committee.
Carl Bjerke — Likely intended by the transcript's 'Senator Bierke'; name is uncertain but appears to refer to Vice Chair Bjerke.
Melissa Wintrow — Thanked by the speaker after presenting the Medicaid options.
Melissa Wintrow — Recognized as having a question.
Melissa Wintrow — Asked whether using reserve funds would require only the $22 million or more.
Melissa Wintrow — Thanked by the speaker and identified as the questioner.
Melissa Wintrow — Acknowledged in the exchange and thanked.
Melissa Wintrow — Asked what event caused the budget to get out of order and pointed to the downward jump in the chart.
Melissa Wintrow — Her earlier question is referenced as the discussion turns to why the budget changed.
Melissa Wintrow — Her question is used as the transition into the explanation of what happened to revenues.
Melissa Wintrow — Senator Melissa Wintrow participates in a continuous budget discussion, questioning the need for additional cuts and suggesting the use of reserve or one-time funds as a bridge. She references uncertainty in the budget outlook, last year’s tax cuts, and the need to maintain a healthy ending balance to avoid another mid-year cut. The response acknowledges her point as fair and agrees that using one-time monies to stabilize the budget is a reasonable consideration.
Melissa Wintrow — Senator Melissa Wintrow thanks the chair and then continues with substantive remarks arguing that the legislature’s own revenue projections and enacted tax cuts created the structural budget imbalance. She says the current crisis is manufactured, that $450 million is too much, and suggests restoring some revenue or using reserves to bridge the gap until revenues stabilize, while opposing any further tax cuts.
Mark Harris — Senator Grow is referenced as having mentioned the earlier projected ending balance.
Glenneda Zuiderveld — Glenneda Zuiderveld commented on the difficult budget situation, emphasizing that nobody wants to cut programs and urging the committee to find savings without harming services. She said the group should avoid picking winners and losers because of uncertainty around conformity and suggested they may need to make sacrifices to get through the budget challenge. Another member then responded by acknowledging her comments but noting they were likely on different pages regarding the budget approach.
Julie VanOrden — Referenced as someone who does know about JFAC.
Julie VanOrden — As chair, indicated she would send an email and said she would go before JFAC toward the end of February.
Julie VanOrden — Requested feedback, comments, concerns, and solutions on the budget before appearing before JFAC.
Julie VanOrden — Closed the meeting, thanked attendees, and announced the committee would meet again on Monday.
Alex Williamson — Introduced himself as a budget and policy analyst with Legislative Services and began testimony on Medicaid optional cuts.
Carl Bjerke — Carl Bjerke is addressed as Vice Chair in consecutive remarks, including a direct acknowledgment of him as Mr. Vice Chair and a later thank-you directed to the Vice Chair alongside Senator Wintrow.
Camille Blaylock — Senator Blaylock is referenced as someone familiar with the JFAC process, with the discussion clarifying that he had served on the Economic Outlook Committee.
Camille Blaylock — Senator Camille Blaylock is referenced as hearing the structural balance explanation for a second time, indicating the discussion is repeating or revisiting that topic for her benefit.