budget

Public transportation authorities across Wyoming received – for some, devastating – news this week: Federal transportation funding that comes in through the Wyoming Department of Transportation has been significantly reduced.

From the water concerns around the Colorado River to Artificial Intelligence in the classroom, elected officials will spend months studying a long list of state issues.

President Ed Seidel said UW did not agree to ax any courses in closed-door meetings with Freedom Caucus lawmakers looking to cut UW’s budget. Those legislators had attacked ecofeminism and other classes.

Gov. Mark Gordon has signed the state budget for the next two years. He thanked the Legislature for its effort in helping provide adequate funding for the state government.

The department’s director said "draconian cuts” may happen if they don’t get the funds. He also pointed to a new survey of Wyomingites showing the state wants UW athletics.

Wyoming’s attorney general wants to prepare for legal battles over the Colorado River Basin and the State Building Commission wants to update the Veteran’s Home of Wyoming.

The Wyoming Business Council asked likely voters what’s working and what’s not in their local communities. Investing to avoid brain drain was a common theme.

Lawmakers axed $30 million from the governor’s proposed supplemental budget earmarked for wildfire recovery, and changed a relief program for landowners from grants to loans.

The Wyoming Department of Health is asking for over $18 million in its supplemental budget request. A majority of the funds would go toward increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates in an attempt to retain physicians.

On Saturday, March 23, Gov. Mark Gordon signed the budget presented to him by the Wyoming Legislative 67th budget session.But, his final signature came with many line-item vetoes. Almost immediately, the Wyoming Freedom Caucus called for a special session to respond to those vetoes.