Recalibration needs to happen this year

Wyoming Senator Charles Scott says recalibration of the state’s school spending needs to be done this year.

Scott is chairman of the Senate Education Committee which, in a meeting earlier this week, reviewed House Bill 61 – the recalibration bill.

Josh Anderson, with the Legislative Services Office, talked about the problems looming for education funding in the state.

Scott said his view is that the Legislature needs to do a recalibration this year and figure out a way to save some money now. He believes less drastic measures will be needed at this time than would be needed at a later time.

Scott said he also is concerned that the current House Bill 61, which is the official recalibration bill, will have difficulty getting passed in the House because the measure contains both a tax increase and an across-the-board cut. Scott said both of those proposals have their own sets of enemies, and he’s concerned that with both proposals in the same bill, the measure won’t get enough votes for passage.

He said if House Bill 61 doesn’t pass, there is a second recalibration bill proposed as a backup. But, Scott told the committee, one way or another, recalibration needs to happen this year.