A quick note this week, with more detailed reports on these topics in follow-on updates.
I'll be in Helena for back-to-back committee meetings next week for spending oversight and the education budget work for next legislative session. I will give you a more detailed account once I've sat through them and can tell you what I actually learned rather than just what's on the agenda.
Tuesday, the Education Interim Budget Committee meets to work through quarterly financials and a range of education programs, from the university system down to K-12. The afternoon is the part most relevant to Carbon County: the Office of Public Instruction will brief us on how the new countywide BASE levies are being implemented, along with several potential budget items tied directly to property tax bill changes. Given how much property taxes have been on everyone's mind, I'll be paying close attention.
On Wednesday, the Legislative Finance Committee meets to review the state's full financial picture: the year-end numbers, the longer-range budget outlook, and the early groundwork for the next legislative session's budget. This is the committee that helps make sure the numbers hold up before they ever reach the floor.
I'll have a more substantive update walking through what came out of these meetings and what it means for our schools. For now, I just wanted you to know the work is underway. As always, if you have questions or something you'd like me to raise, reach out anytime.
It is an honor to serve you.
