BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho budget writers agreed Monday to increase state funding for four-year colleges and universities by 8 percent, just slightly below the governor's recommendation of 8.8 percent.

The Joint Finance Appropriations Committee voted 16-4 to allocate $279.5 million in state general funds for fiscal year 2017. The Spokesman-Review reports that the budget-setting panel did not fund Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's $10 million "tuition lock" proposal, which would freeze college and university tuition for incoming freshman so they would pay the same rate for four academic years.

Lawmakers say they are wary of the proposal's benefits. The high education budget must still pass through the House and Senate chambers, but bills are rarely changed once leaving the powerful budget committee.

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