By Brendan LaChance on February 1, 2021
The Capitol Building in Cheyenne Wyoming surrounded by smoke from the Mullen Wildfire (John Roedel, Cap City News September 26th, 2020)
CASPER, Wyo. The Wyoming Senate passed legislation on Friday, Jan. 29 which would reduce direct distributions to local governments by $10.5 million.
Cuts in state funding for counties and municipalities is being looked at as a way to help keep the budget deficit from ballooning again in coming years.
While cuts to state agencies may shore up Wyoming’s immediate budgetary woes, the deficit to the state’s General Fund, School Foundations Program Account and School Capital Construction Account is forecast to rise again to $75 million by the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 biennium and the shortfall could balloon further to around $885 million by FY 2025-2026.