Cuts in government budgets, Wyoming's economic woes.

Governor Mead today announced that the state will cut its budget by $248,000,000.  The Department of Health's share of that is $90,000,000, which will result in the loss of 677 private sector jobs.  Mead cited the legislator's failure to enact Medicaid expansion as a factor in that loss.  The University of Wyoming will lose $35,000,000 by way of cuts, community colleges $20,000,000 and the Department of Corrections $17,000,000.

I understand the desperate financial situation, but I've noted that I think the cuts in education is ill advised.  Still, this is pretty good evidence of how strained the state's economy is right now.

More evidence, as if any was needed, was provided by the City of Casper the day before, which announced that it was cutting its budget by 37%, which will be accomplished partially by early retirements but which will not feature any layoffs.