Lawmakers ascended yesterday to the state capital in Cheyenne for the 63rd Wyoming Legislature.
Going into the session 2015 General Session convened Tuesday at noon, Rep. Stan Blake (D-Green River) said one of the most important issues will be to not only spend money wisely, but to invest in cities, towns, and counties.
Blake said there is $125 million the budget set aside and the Legislature needs to spend all of that and possibly more.
“We need to invest in Wyoming and its infrastructure while we have the extra money,” he said.
Earlier this month Blake said he was asked to be the vice chair of the transportation committee.
He said he will be the only Democrat that is currently a chair or vice chairman.
“This is good. It shows a level of bipartisanship and working together. I accepted it with humility and it was a humbling experience,” Blake said.
Having served on the transportation committee for several years, Blake said he opposed a 10 cent fuel tax increase at the prior session, but it did have positives because it gave us $77 million to spend on highways.
Blake said one of the biggest issues this session will be retirement for state employees.
He said there is currently a faction who think it needs to be funded at 100 percent, but he believes the retirement system is in good shape and the sky isn’t falling as others believe.
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