Governor's eight letters highlight savings push, vet funding and Asia‑Pacific trade priorities

Drew Perkins, the governor's chief of staff, presented eight letters from the governor's office and executive branch agencies to the Joint Appropriations Committee on Jan. 9, seeking clarification and addenda to the administration's October profile.

Perkins summarized a broad savings strategy that would place a portion of unspent balances into long‑term savings accounts such as the Permanent Wyoming Mineral Trust Fund (PMTF) and the Common School Permanent Land Fund, arguing that converting near‑term surpluses to long‑term savings "helps keep the tax burden low" in future downturns. He said half of any suggested incremental savings might be directed to the PMTF and half to the school foundation account.

The letters included a $500,000 request to fund additional livestock board capacity — with roughly $369,000 for a field veterinarian and $131,000 for mitigation against emergent threats — citing USDA cuts. Other requests clarified local government funding floors, proposed continued state support for a Pacific trade office (about $400,000 per biennium), and sought guidance on economic development partnerships including a request tied to relocating the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association with proposed state match possibilities.

Perkins also described a plan for limited firearms safety training funding for state employees and said the governor supports keeping the Wyoming Business Council in some form while inviting legislative oversight and potential task forces to rework its structure. Committee members discussed whether these letters change the headline spending total compared with the governor's prior $11.1 billion profile; Perkins emphasized many items were clarifications or previously expected savings and noted a small number of true new asks.