Idaho Governor Distances Himself from Budget Cuts

Little says setting the budget is the Legislature's job, not his

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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Idaho Gov. Brad Little expressed concern over new legislative budget cuts that could hurt the state's ability to fight wildfires and jeopardize mental health and treatment courts, but he distanced himself from the budget-setting process and downplayed the likelihood of vetoing the budgets.

Why it matters

The governor's role in the budget process is a key point of tension, as the legislature is responsible for setting the state budget but the governor has options to respond, including vetoing budget bills. This dynamic highlights the complex relationship between the executive and legislative branches in Idaho's government.

The details

Little said he laid out his priorities in the State of the State address and sent them to the legislative body, stating 'they're all in their court now.' The new 5% across-the-board budget cuts approved by the legislature's budget committee would be on top of 3% cuts Little approved last summer. Little does not support the additional new cuts, but said the timing of next week's deadline to file for office and the upcoming primary election may make issuing a veto challenging.

  • The new 5% ongoing budget cuts were approved by the legislature's budget committee on Friday.
  • The fiscal year 2027 maintenance of operations budgets will next go to the full Idaho House and Senate for consideration.
  • If the budgets pass the legislature, they will head to the governor's desk for final consideration.

The players

Brad Little

The governor of Idaho who expressed concern over the new budget cuts but distanced himself from the budget-setting process, stating it is the legislature's responsibility.

Lori Wolff

Little's budget chief who has been publicly sounding alarms about the permanent new budget cuts.

Idaho Legislature

Responsible for setting the state budget each year and required by the state constitution to set a balanced budget.

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What they’re saying

“I laid out my priorities (in the State of the State address). I shipped them to the legislative body under the Constitution, (and) they're all in their court now.”

— Brad Little, Governor of Idaho (dailyfly.com)

“It would be nicer if I had better line item (veto) authority because some of the things that I am not delighted about are embedded in other things that we absolutely have to have.”

— Brad Little, Governor of Idaho (dailyfly.com)

“(If) those critical bills, as you stated, come late and the filing deadline has passed and legislators want to go home, and I do something that is going to add two weeks to the session, my override option doesn't look very good.”

— Brad Little, Governor of Idaho (dailyfly.com)

What’s next

The fiscal year 2027 maintenance of operations budgets will next go to the full Idaho House and Senate for consideration. If passed by the legislature, the budgets will then head to the governor's desk for final consideration.

The takeaway

The tension between the governor and legislature over the state budget highlights the complex dynamics of Idaho's government, where the legislature holds the power to set the budget but the governor has options to respond, including the ability to veto budget bills. This power struggle could have significant implications for the state's ability to fund critical services and programs.