59 th Wyoming State Legislature

1. 59th Wyoming State Legislature 2008 Budget Session Accomplishments of Your Wyoming State Legislature

2. Goals Set for the Session • Fiscal Discipline. • Long-term focus on stable, sustainable economy. • Preserve and develop Wyoming water.

3. Goals Set for the Session • Investment in permanent Mineral Trust Fund and infrastructure projects. • Begin transition to clean coal technologies to preserve long-term viability of our natural resources and strength of Wyoming economy.

4. Budget 2009-10 $7.8 billion dollars appropriated Included in that appropriation: $3.44 billion General Fund $3.1 billion Other State Funds $1.3 billion in federal funding

5. Where did we spend it? Local Governments Highways/Airports Water Development Education Jobs/Economy Health Care State Employees Tax Relief Wildlife Savings Veterans & National Guard

6. Cities, Towns & Counties • $149 million direct distribution to local governments • $191 million Consensus Block Grant • $10 million emergency capital projects (SLIB) • $33 million for unfunded or partially funded capital projects

7. Highways/Airports • $200 million for road construction and maintenance, including multi-lane highways • $12 million for WYOLINK • $13.5 million for airport improvements

8. Water Development • $10 million to Water Development Account II • $24.5 million to Water Development Account III Funds are used for dam development as well as maintenance and improvement to water transmission and pipeline systems • $6.8 million for Omnibus Water Bill Planning Program • $30.9 million for Omnibus Water Bill Construction Program

9. Education Hathaway Scholarship Approved diversion of additional $50 million in federal mineral royalties to Hathaway fund. Almost fully funded. Provided a mechanism for students to regain their scholarship after losing eligibility for not achieving Satisfactory Academic Progress.

10. Education…continued • University of Wyoming • $376 million operating budget • $58,327,976 capital construction • $20 million appropriation for the partnership of UW School of Energy Resources, State of Wyoming and General Electric to develop construct and operate a high plains gasification facility and technology center • $17.4 million AML funding to UW School of Energy Resources

11. Education…continued • Community Colleges • $243 million to community colleges • $1.5 million - WPTV endowment • $4 million - College endowments • $79.8 million - New dorm projects • $4.4 million - Adult basic education • $5.5 million - Nursing program

12. Education…continued • K-12 • $1.4 billion in K-12 funding • $357.4 million for school capital construction • $84 million for major school maintenance

13. Developmental Preschools • Developmental preschools serve children from birth to age 5 • $8.1 million to fund special education, physical occupational and speech therapies for 253 additional children • This program is an effective way to prepare children for school and life. Training at this age helps children while 80 to 90 percent of brain development is happening

14. Jobs, Economy & Development • Several bills were passed to stimulate economic growth, strengthen infrastructure and preserve our economy. • HB089 Ownership of Subsurface Pore Space • HB090 Carbon Capture and Sequestration • HB153 $3 million for Economic Development Account 2 • $79 million to Business Ready Communities • $15 million Community Facility Program

15. State Employees • 4% per year COLA for all state employee including UW and college employees • $6.7 million for retiree insurance • 1% of payroll for future retiree insurance

16. Veterans & National Guard • HB12 $798,000 to Department of Health to address mental illness and substance abuse problems associated with participation in military conflicts • HB33 Amends qualifying dates for the veteran’s property tax exemptions • SF25 National Guard life insurance contribution option

17. Tax Relief • HB092 – Property Tax Refund Program Broad based, income tested program for elderly, young families starting out, disabled and low-income. Anticipated impact first year: 2,146 applicants receiving approximately $250 totaling $537,000 - $50,000 asset threshold with exemption for home, car, retirement - Income threshold is 2/3 of median state or county income. • HB151 – Tax Relief Program Amendments Expands existing tax relief programs for the elderly and disabled - Single income threshold $17,500 Married income threshold $28,000 * The Wyoming Dept. of Revenue estimates the tax relief will help 29,000 Wyoming households

18. Health Care Initiatives • Set in motion an analysis of the emergency medical services program • Created a model physician and dentist recruitment program $400,000

19. Health Care…continued • $24.2 million to Medicaid including pandemic flu vaccine • $234.7 million in mental health and substance abuse appropriations • Establishes regional programs to treat patients • Creates in-patient and out-patient treatment programs • Creates a special mental health program

20. Wildlife and the Environment Wildlife Trust Fund: Increased Fund by $29.5M Corpus of the fund $87.5M Other Wildlife Appropriations: $1,849,420 Examination of Endangered Species $6,259,700 Predator Management, Rabies Control and Rodent Control $10,883,239 Wyoming Game and Fish for operations $14,521,322 Wyoming Game and Fish, capital construction

21. The federal government delisted the wolf from the endangered species list, and will turn over management of the wolf to the State of Wyoming. If Wyoming complies with federal guidelines, it gives us the ability to manage and preserve the wolf, while being responsive to the needs of the ranchers, hunters and recreational land users. Wolf Management Plan

22. Savings Wyoming’s Permanent Mineral Trust Fund December 31, 2007 Balance (market value): $3.95 billion Projected balance (cost basis): $4 billion by 6/30/09 For the 09-10 biennium, revenue flows to the PMTF are estimated at $792.2 million Legislative Goal: $5-6 Billion by 2010

23. Savings…continued Why do we save in the PMTF? Year% of GF appropriations provided by PMTF interest revenue 99-00 20.8 01-02 14.3 03-04 9.7 05-06 8.0 07-08 7.5 09-10 7.9 As the budget continues to grow, more money must continue to be added to savings in order to generate more interest and guard Wyoming citizens against future tax increases.

24. Savings…continued • $27.6 million from Budget Reserve Account (BRA) to Legislative Stabilization Reserve Account (LSRA) • $35.2 million to Wildlife Trust Fund, including $29.5 million to corpus (bringing total to $87 million), and $5.7 million for projects and administration

25. Revenue/Expenditure Trend

26. carbon sequestration; eminent domain; driving under the Influence; judicial needs for the future; fire prevention and electrical safety; retirement and compensation issues; utility & tax relief; education topics assigned by law; budget processes; mineral and excise taxation; coal bed methane water issues; price differentials of gas and oil; Interim Committee Topics Looking ahead community college task force; tribal issues; water and forestry management; wildlife; water issues; corporation formation; value-added agriculture; subdivision laws; transportation issues and I-80; Camp Guernsey; clean coal technology; railroad quiet zones; worker’s compensation … and much more!

27. This session was one to be proud of. We accomplished great and important things by working together.