This week budget negotiators from the House and Senate will iron out differences in the state budget.
The budget was approved Friday and features roughly 100 million in agency budget cuts. It eliminates an elderly and disabled tax rebate program and the Wyoming family literacy program. The Senate also voted not to include Medicaid expansion in the budget while the House didn't take the issue up.
Democrats from both the House and Senate all voted against their versions of the budget. Democratic Representative Ken Esquibel of Cheyenne says Republicans were more concerned about saving money for future projects than how cuts will affect people now.
“They are not paying attention to how this budget will adversely affect people. So rather than saving money to build up structures, we are not spending the money to build up the lives of people. Especially when you look at what we are doing with Early childhood development centers to Senior Centers.”
Speaker of the House Kermit Brown says it’s better to trim now and not have to face massive cuts in the future.
