Lawmakers and citizens press Wyoming Business Council on scope and transparency of Business Ready Communities program

Members of the Joint Appropriations Committee pressed the Wyoming Business Council’s representatives on whether the Business Ready Communities (BRC) program has strayed from its original public-infrastructure purpose and whether its rules and funding should be tightened.

The session’s most direct critique came from Shane Victorin, a Fremont County resident testifying in public comment, who said statutory language allowing funding for “buildings” and “other infrastructure determined by the council” has enabled scope creep. He argued the combination of broad discretionary authority and continuously appropriated funds risks directing public dollars to private interests and urged the legislature to define “buildings,” narrow the “other infrastructure” clause, and end the continuous-appropriation treatment so the legislature revisits funding regularly.

Vicotrin said, according to the statutory text he…