Staff 1-19, 2016
Governor Matt Mead is adjusting his 2017-18 budget to include abandoned mine lands funds. Mead released plans to the legislature’s Joint Appropriation Committee yesterday. The request includes the governor’s plan to use $164 million in funds that were recently returned to the State. Mead’s spending adjustments call for adding $40 million to the University of Wyoming’s science initiative, $78 million to help pay for renovations to a state-run health facility and $14 million for a new State office building in Casper.
Mead also proposed using $25 million from the AML funds to replace his recommendation that money be removed from the rainy day fund. Mead says that move will free up those funds for local governments. Mead has requested $90 million for local governments and would like to add $33 million to that request.