Governor Matt Mead delivered his State of the State speech on February 10, 2014, before both houses of the Wyoming Legislature.
We applaud the governor for not giving up on his effort asking state agencies to review their rules with an eye toward simplifying and reducing them. Small businesses pay an average of $10,000 dollars per employee for regulatory compliance at the state and federal level.
NFIB/Wyoming, however, is examining cautiously the spending priorities laid out by the governor. $3.33 billion dollars is a significant amount of taxpayer money. That level of spending makes business owners nervous, because it’s their hard work that makes it possible for such a hefty wish list.
One thing is certain, however, the governor knows a train wreck when he sees one. His comments pertaining to the Affordable Care Act were spot on. He is also correct in his opposition to the expansion of Medicaid. To rely on the government’s promise that the check is in the mail could lead to a catastrophic meltdown of the Wyoming economy should the government not fulfill its promise.
While we were disappointed the governor succumbed to the 10? a gallon fuel tax increase in 2013, we look forward to working with him this year to make sure that Wyoming small-business owners have a place at the state’s policymaking table.
