State of Wyoming Archives: on Budget & Economy

Bill Dahlin: Economy needs diversification and promotion

• Industrial Hemp, it's not marijuana. It is legal. It has many uses. It will create good paying jobs, millions in revenues.
• We need to look at USDA meat processing within the state.
• We need to be more aggressive on promoting our state for new business.
• We need to promote and protect our energy and mineral sectors at all times.

Charlie Hardy: Cut wasteful spending but increase other spending

On June 30, Enzi's campaign sent a press release calling on Wyomingites to support his penny plan bill by signing their names on the website PennyPlanSolution.com. Enzi has introduced and supported the penny plan in the past.

Hardy, in a statement Wednesday, said the penny plan represents laziness. Some programs should be cut more than 1%, and others need more funding, he said. "Instead of facing the problem of wasteful spending in some areas, it simply punishes all programs and the people who are touched by those programs," he said. Hardy believes that programs benefiting veterans, senior citizens and children should receive more attention.

A campaign spokeswoman for Enzi said, "If Congress fails to make those tough decisions, then automatic cuts would be imposed to meet the 1% overall reduction."

Chris Rothfuss: Diversify revenue; fund maintenance projects

Senate Minority Floor Leader Chris Rothfuss said that he thinks Wyoming has done a good job implementing laws attractive in the banking sector and that the state should be an attractive site for large wealth funds. Rothfuss said he thinks the state has done a better job diversifying the economy than they have in terms of diversifying revenues the state relies on for its own budget.

From his perspective, making budget cuts in the short term could actually lead to budget increases over the long haul. He pointed to the example of major maintenance projects, saying that failure to fund maintenance projects in a timely manner can lead to higher costs in the future. Rothfuss said that he thinks the legislature should look at ways to find additional revenue.

Cynthia Lummis: Cut government spending & reduce our national debt

A: Cutting government spending and reducing our national debt are among my very top priorities. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I stood up to moderate leadership of my own party to push back against overspending. I will continue to be a fierce budget hawk and work tirelessly to cut spending and reduce the national debt. I support proposals to reduce spending across the board, including the 'Penny Plan.

Dave Freudenthal: Remain fiscally conservative without dipping into savings

I do not see a dramatic change that suggests this is going to be some aggressive and robust recovery. I believe that it is going to be slow; it is going to be difficult. Part of it is simply the absence of credit availability, particularly for small businesses, and not a matter that I see being resolved very quickly. The state should remain, I believe, fairly conservative.

Dick Cheney: Budget surplus softens opposition to spending

Gary Trauner: Federal bailout with stake in bailed-out company

"In return for any purchase of bad assets, we get a share in the company," he continued. "If the federal government buys the bad debt off of a company, and sells the product off later for profit, the federal government should keep that money. However, if it sells the debt a lesser price, the federal government should receive a stake in the company in order to make up the difference."

Jim Geringer: Spend one-time revenue on one-time expenditures

We must be responsible in how we deal with the forecast surplus. Use one-time funds [such as mineral revenue] to cover unique or non-recurring obligations. I ask your support to do the following:
• Determine how much of the surplus is sustainable beyond the next two biennia. I estimate that long-term sustainable revenues will support about $198M per biennium of new spending.
• Set aside reasonable and prudent reserves [including] $72M for a statutory reserve (5% of estimated general fund receipts) and $50M to expand the Spending Policy Reserve to include mineral income.
• A partial restoration of funds lost by the Water Development: allocate $75M of the one-time funds.
• $65M for endowment funds for the University and our Community Colleges.
• Spend one-time revenue on one-time expenditures. Don't fund on-going obligations without the assurance of future revenue.
• I recommend reducing statewide sales and use taxes by a half percent, effective during FY2001 only.

Keith Goodenough: More fiscal conservatism needed in the legislature

In general political terms, that would mean that you believe in the following: efficient and frugal governmental spending, depending on the private sector to power economic growth, governmental decision making at a level of government as close to the people as possible, respect for private property rights, and perhaps a few additional lesser points.

From the mid 1980's until the recent past, the fiscal liberals in the Legislature have mostly focused on building governmental agencies whose mission statement is directed towards creating economic development through the spending of taxpayer's money.

Liz Cheney: Fighting Smart: focus on getting results to roll back feds

A: When I say fight smart, what I really am focused on is getting results. But you have to know how to do it. You have to know how you can actually cut these agencies, how you can actually limit the regulation, how you can actually roll the federal government back.

Q: There is not a whole lot of daylight between yourself and Senator Enzi in terms of policy.

A: Well, yes, except Senator Enzi's been there for 18 years. When you've been there for 18 years, you have to deal with the results, what you've been able to deliver for the people of Wyoming. And if I thought that Senator Enzi, whatever his tactics, would be able to effectively prevent President Obama from taking the nation down this path to European social democracy--I wouldn't need to be in this race. He hasn't, and there's no sense, frankly, that he will. I think we've got to have a new generation.

Mark Gordon: Balance budget by living within your means

Mark Gordon: Define Rainy Day Account for "steady as she goes"

Wyoming has been responsible in putting together savings that can help stabilize the downturns. If we are to chart our own future, we must also be disciplined and refill and even augment those savings in the good times.

We must be wise with our savings, using them when we need them. I support a bill to better define the purpose of the Rainy Day Account, or LSRA, so that those nearly $2 billion can be invested in a way that, first and foremost, assures the money in it will be there for rainy days and second that it can earn incrementally better returns than it does now. This definition will also clarify when, how much, and for what purposes we have set aside these specific savings.

Mark Gordon: Make the state the digital asset epicenter of the U.S.

Mary Throne: Budget will maximize revenues and cut unnecessary costs

Matt Mead: Reduce the budget & build up the rainy-day account

• Build savings
• Reduce the ongoing budget
• Cut the size of government
• Streamline state regulations
• Decide on the funding mechanism for our highways
• Change fiscal policies to build up the rainy-day account; and
• Provide funding for major items including wildfires, landfills, local government, the Gillette-Madison water project, UW School of Engineering and employee performance pay.

Matt Mead: Navigated recession while shrinking state government

• recovering from the recession which marked the end of the last decade;
• rebounding from fiscal uncertainties that led to budget reductions of more than 6% last year.