November 21, 2022 |
Governor Mark Gordon presented his 2023-24 supplemental budget on Friday.
Buoyed by rising commodity revenues in the energy sector, the state has enjoyed a relatively good year. Dark economic clouds are on the horizon, the governor cautioned. The governor pointed to the obvious signs that threaten the state’s well-being. They include the Biden Administration that is openly hostile to Wyoming’s core industries. The globalist agenda of the White House that has put a stranglehold on energy and agriculture production worldwide has resulted in the highest inflation in 40 years. Washington’s cure—interest rate increases designed to corral spending—the governor notes is a cure “almost worse than the disease itself.”
Given the inflationary economic conditions that are hitting households and businesses—as well as the cost of running state government—the governor is recommending fiscal responsibility and setting aside in savings some of the surplus the state has enjoyed this year.
The governor is recommending few funding increases in his supplemental budget. The 2022 Budget bill appropriated $259.5 million in spending.
In the supplemental bill announced Friday, the governor is recommending $260.1 million dollars—an increase of less than a half-million dollars.
Some of the increase is the result of the inflation. Additionally, the Governor has proposed allocating funding in areas to maintain safe and healthy communities and protect Wyoming’s economy, including:
• Addressing mental and behavioral health service gaps,
• Hardening cyber-infrastructure,
• Enhancing security at state prisons
• Protecting our natural resource industries by controlling invasive species and predators.
The 37-day legislative session convenes on Tuesday, January 3rd. The appropriations committee will begin its work parsing the governor’s budget recommendations on December 8th.
