Pay Attention to the Legislative Session
From the Publisher Dennis Sun
The Wyoming Legislature will convene on Feb. 9, and from what I’ve heard so far, it will not be a dull session.
Legislators need to be extra careful during a budget session as funding cuts affect much needed programs.
The best part of any budget session is the state will have a balanced budget when the session is over. As always, there will be some cuts and additions to the state budget.
One of the challenges of the budget session is there are always some bills unrelated to the budget, and these take up valuable time in discussion – time which really should be spent on the budget.
I think our legislative sessions have become too combative. Instead of simply discussing issues, some attack individuals with viewpoints on the other side. We see this on the national level, and I think it makes the attacker sound ignorant. Trying to beat someone down to get a point across never works, it just makes enemies.
The big news the last couple of weeks has been from the Joint Appropriations Committee. I realize this is the most challenging committee to be a member of.
They have been working on the budget through most of December and January, holding numerous hearings with state government agencies, as well as the university and other colleges around the state, plus they have been reviewing the governor’s budget.
Every bill requiring state funding has to go before the Joint Appropriations Committee, so as one can see, members have some heavy responsibility.
The Joint Appropriations Committee recently voted not to fund the Wyoming Business Council (WBC) and to reduce funding for the University of Wyoming (UW) – excluding the College of Education and the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources – by $20 million per year over the next two years. Both are terrible decisions.
UW is a treasure to the state of Wyoming, which we should all support. Remember, it is Wyoming youth and the opportunities we are creating for them that we are dealing with here.
WBC is the lead for economic development in Wyoming. Every municipality in the state needs an economic development office and state business council as the lead. It’s a risky business being in economic development, and there’s always a bullseye on their back.
Jill Tregemba is the agribusiness development manager, and with the help of WBC staff, she does a great job representing Wyoming ag.
Through the Wyoming Table program, Tregemba connects Wyoming food and beverage products with state, national and foreign buyers. She assists ag entrepreneurs with essential resources for new business startups and works with communities, UW and other colleges to assist the growth and commercialization of ag technologies. She also promotes Wyoming as a prime location for corporate relocation of ag business development.
Why would the legislature want to put the WBC out of business? The state needs them.
We need to put funding for WBC on the list of interim topics to be discussed during legislative committees next summer and fall. Canceling funding to the WBC as a whole this session is not the right move for Wyoming. It is called serving the state in a responsible manner.
