The health, behavioral health and aging work group reviewed a staff proposal to add $5,000,000 to the Kiki Saavedra Senior Dignity Fund. Staff said the increment would raise the fund balance to $10,500,000 after an earlier spending item approved the prior day.

A member asked whether the fund originally paid only for pilot programs and whether wording changes had been made previously to allow continued grants; staff reminded members that appropriations are made by the legislature and that amounts are appropriated at the members’ direction. An analyst said the executive recommendation had a transfer approach that increased aging network funding in base funding, and that the apparent difference between LFC and executive recommendations might be due to how the executive shuffled funds; staff committed to follow up to confirm the executive recommendation details.

The work group did not take a formal motion during this discussion; staff indicated the fund conversation would continue after other agenda items and that additional follow-up on exact balances and past appropriations would be provided to members.