Senator Agar: We have a budget!

State Senator Wyatt Agar has provided a report about Wyoming’s current state legislature which is still in session. 

“We have a budget! Late Friday night the house agreed to an offer that the Senate had made several times earlier and split our differences right down the middle,” said Agar.

During their negotiations and prior to an agreement on the budget on Friday, Agar said they tackled a variety of issues. “The Senate Appropriations has continued to make offers on the 3 differences that stand between us and the House. Unfortunately, the house continues to say no, they do not counteroffer but rather want all increases.”

Agar noted the differences. Funding for National Certified Teachers- from the beginning of the program the state has had a private donor that helped with cost shares. That organization pulled their funding last year. Historically, teachers that received National Certification get an added $4,000 a year from the state (and the private organization).

Senate members believe that rather than the state pick up the whole cost, half of the cost should be sent back to local school boards. This Allows for local control and oversight on whether the recipients performance is deserving of the bonus. This would save the state 2 million dollars.

 The inflation adjustment to unfilled teachers (ghost positions) health insurance- The block grant funds teaching positions and the related benefits for positions that are not filled. The school districts use those unobligated funds whereever they want. The Senate position has been that we are not going to impact the current funding, but we are unwilling to fund the increase to insurance to the unfilled positions. If the increase takes place it will add another 14 million to the budget.

 The Economic Cost Adjustment (ECA)- Seeing as we are going to recalibrate the cost of Education this summer the Senate Appropriation committee thought that rather than fund an entire 2 years of ECA, we should fund the first year and let recalibration tell us what our level of spending should be. One year of ECA cost 17.5 million 2 years would cost 35 million.

 Agar added that we should keep in mind this discussion takes place at a time when education will see over $100,000,000 increase in funding.

 He said “We are still negotiating on SF 199B  Capital Construction also, the bill that left the Senate Chambers was modest, but covered the state's needs for major maintenance and the pending projects that are in the process at the community colleges.”

Agar concluded his report saying that the House Appropriations added 86 million dollars worth of projects at the university. In light of our budget instabilities and the fact that we have invested hundreds of millions of dollars over the last 10 years in buildings at UW, this is not the time to take on more building on campus. 

 Agar said, “Knowing that these two bills would take all my time this year, I handed any personal bill that I had off to others.”