By james art 
Cheyenne – Before the estimated revenue shortage, some Wyoming legislators are hesitant to change the basic formula for the maintenance of the state, which would increase the financing of projects for school facilities.
Senator Larry Hicks, R-Baggs, voted against a draft bill on Wednesday, during a meeting of the Legislative Committee on School Facilities at Cheyenne, this changes the way the state calculates its main funding for school maintenance.
The bill, as it is written, increases the permissible square footage in the formula from 115% to 135%, which would make 18 of the 48 school areas that meet the general coverage. However, this still leaves 1.9 million square feet, according to the legislative office of the Financial Financing Office of the legislative office Matthew Wilmart. In order to fund all 48 school areas, the percentage must be increased to 235%, he said.
The bill also increases the multiplier value of the replacement value from 2% to 2.5% and comes with $ 43.6 million budget loans from the Foundation’s Foundation Program (SFP).
SFP is largely funded through Wyoming’s federal mineral remuneration (FMR). The report on consensus revenue (CREG) in January predicted a decline in FMR distribution in SFP in the next two bioniums.
559.1 million dollars in FMR distribution to SFP for BBP 2023-24 is expected to decrease by $ 144.5 million in 2025-26 by Bi Neova and reduce by $ 23.9 million again for the $ 2027 -28.
“When I look at this long -term fiscal profile, when I look at SFP and the construction of the school at this two -year school, it is $ 2.55 billion,” Hicks said. “We’re going out to 27-28 Bioniums, that’s $ 2.44 billion. My opinion is that revenue is reduced, not upwards. “
The legislature is still exploring the property tax relief for Wyomingites, which is another source of local funding for school districts. Hicks said he did not want to lock the state in a new, more expensive main maintenance formula, if it is not certain that the funds will be there.
“The reality is that when I look at two bioniums, there is not enough money to finance this,” Hicks said.
Hicks proposed to make the bill once budget loans. The legislature is envisaged to calibrate its main maintenance formula in 2025 and the senator recommended that he visit this topic afterwards.
Senator Bo Bitman, R-Ranchester, who shared Hicks’ concerns, said the proposed 2.5% multiplier “seems to be the largest engine at the price.”
“Maybe we can find a compromise with the (legislative) body, maybe we can keep it 135% and keep it 2%,” Bitman said. “I like Senator Hicks’ idea not to bake this in the long run because of all the uncertainties we have.”
Senator Chris Rotfus, D-Lramie, however, gave up these arguments. He acknowledged that the predicted shortage of state revenue was legal anxiety, but also said that this bill was “the most cost-effective path to the legislature.”
“That’s the reason we recommend this,” Rothfus said. “According to the analysis we did, if we keep the fleet (of schools), we need less replacement in the long run.”
The director of the State Department of Construction Del Macomi said that the higher investment in dollars would probably lead to less demands for components in the future. Funding for the component level project is used for schools on the edge of braking due to major maintenance problems.
Mcomie said requests for funding for the component project, which is about $ 30 million a year, can “reduce over time” if the main support is fully funded.
“As we take better long-term care for buildings with a higher number of higher dollars, I would predict that we will see less of these larger projects, component projects,” said Mcomie.
Sweetwater County District 1 Dan Selleri’s director said new school buildings require more maintenance funding. Most chillers in these new systems have four compressors, he said.
“When you live in Evanston, you live in a cool climate, you don’t even know that two of the four compressors are out until the third is descended,” Selleroli said. “Now, instead of watching a $ 100,000 compressor change, you are looking at a $ 300,000 or $ 400,000 change. Thus, the complexity of the system really stimulates costs. “
The draft bill was sent to the Joint Budget Loan Committee by the Selection Committee of 7-2 votes, such as Nay’s votes by Hicks and Senator Troy McKkene, R-Gillette. Reporter Ember Okley, R-River, was absent from the meeting.