state budget

Wyoming lawmakers on the Joint Appropriations Committee took their first crack at the state budget this past week. They’re making cuts and limiting growth.

State appropriators voted to slash the entirety of Wyoming Public Media’s state funds, axing about 17% of the station’s overall budget.

Lawmakers asked for more information relating to long-standing issues, like the explosion of off-track betting locations and which section books are placed in the state library.

When you think about how the state of Wyoming spends its money, where it all goes and why it goes where it goes, things can feel pretty abstract. Those cash questions got real this month.

Lawmakers on the Joint Appropriations Committee are almost finished with the second week of hearing state agencies’ funding requests. Education funding was difficult to nail down.

Employee salaries came up as a common theme throughout the day. Departments say higher wages will allow them to be more competitive in the market.

The 2024 fire season is still fresh in the minds of legislators. They want to avoid spending that much money again, and some are willing to pay now if it means fewer costs later.

Lawmakers heard from two agencies with similar goals of reducing administrative costs.

That’s according to an October report from state revenue forecasters. The Wyoming Freedom Caucus says big cuts are still needed to the budget.

Without sharing details of where they plan to make cuts, members of the Freedom Caucus say they want to dramatically reduce government spending. Gov. Mark Gordon says he’s drafting a "lean" budget.