Proposed Budget Highlights
The governor’s budget proposal focuses on making investments in strategic savings, replacing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) revenue funds with general funds, addressing inflation, protecting state interests, supporting the energy industry, and addressing other urgent matters the state is facing. Key budget highlights include:
Strategic Savings
- Adds $265 million to the Permanent Mineral Trust Fund.
- Increases the rainy day fund to $1.6 billion.
- Directs $265 million to the Common School Permanent Land Fund.
- Leaves more than $48.9 million available for legislators to consider for savings and investments.
ARPA Revenue Replacement
- Utilizes $324 million of general funds to replace ARPA federal funds that were used as revenue replacement last biennium.
Inflation
- Directs $20 million to the Department of Revenue to expand the property tax refund program to provide additional targeted relief to Wyoming homeowners.
Protecting State Interests
- Allocates $3.4 million to the Department of Environmental Quality to:
- Support industries navigating new rules.
- Support the agency’s efforts to write and implement changes to regulations that best reflect the state’s position and circumstances.
- Directs $695,000 to the Office of Consumer Advocate to represent citizens in cases before the Public Service Commission.
- Proposes $4.6 million for the maintenance of critical infrastructure in agency budgets. Excluding State Capital Construction and School Capital Construction.
Energy and Water
- Proposes extending the Governor’s Energy Matching fund program.
Proposes $25 million in matching funds for the State Revolving fund for clean and drinking water projects.
Economic and Workforce Development
- Allocates funds for workforce development including:
- $8.2 million to the Workforce Development Training Fund to provide on-site training for Wyoming’s workers and businesses.
- $5.3 million to continue to support tuition payments, training costs, and support services to maintain a high employment rate.
- $5.1 million to support vocational rehabilitation training for citizens with disabilities.
- Directs $30 million into the Wyoming Innovation Partnership to facilitate operations and meet organizational goals.
- Invests $38 million in the Business Ready Communities grant to respond to lack of housing.
Natural Resource Protection
- Requests $20 million in general funds to support treatment of invasive annual grasses on private and state land.
- Reallocates approximately $15.7 million in funding for the Engineer’s Board of Control toward general funding to restore Water Development Account I dollars over the next ten years.
Mental Health
- Maintains funding for community mental health centers.
- Supports the increase of funding to youth providers.
- Supports efforts to expand the 988 suicide prevention hotline capacities to add text and chat services.