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| B- | Wyoming |
• Population (rank): 515,004 (50)
• Average per capita income (rank): $24,544 (22)
• Total state spending (rank): $4,011,496,000 (48)
• Spending per capita (rank): $7,789 (2)
• Governor: Dave Freudenthal (D)
• First elected: 11/2002
• Senate: 30 members: 7 D, 23 R
• Term limits: None
• House: 60 members: 17 D, 43 R
• Term limits: None
It is a fantastic time to be in Wyoming," declares Nancy Thomson, deputy director of planning and operations for Wyoming's School Facilities Commission. Thomson has good reason to crow. The state is awash in mineral revenues, and has used them to invest in every public school. Once the schools are upgraded, the state will turn them over to school districts — but will continue to fund their maintenance. "Wyoming is in a position — thankfully — that we can do this," Thomson stresses, "but we certainly don't want to be in a position in 30 years that our buildings are no longer suitable and we have to replace them again."
Maintenance has been a perennial problem in Wyoming, not just for schools but for other infrastructure, as well. Just a few years ago, more than one-third of state roads were rated as being in less than "good" condition. Today, it's even worse; closer to half are at that level. An infusion of $175 million in 2007 helped, and a request for an additional $200 million is giving the Department of Transportation hope that it will be able to make some progress.
Regardless of its legacy of weak maintenance, WYDOT is the crown jewel of Wyoming management. In three years, a proactive strategy has cut the average time for correcting construction problems from months to weeks. Rather than waiting for managers to spot issues in monthly reviews, front-line workers notify superiors of large and small deviations immediately. A new computer system combines finances, pavement management and enhanced geographic-information capacity.
Wyoming's strategic plan isn't a page-turner — in fact, it's only one page long. But the performance measures in its Results-Based Accountability model influence budgeting decisions. Not long ago, the Department of Corrections asked for 150 "exceptions" to the standard budget, tying each one of these requests to a performance measure. For example, it cited its alarming staff turnover rate — one-quarter of the positions change hands each year and one-third are sometimes vacant at a given moment — to secure extra money for recruitment.
If a recent upgrade in the online financial system is any indication, Wyoming's new IT governance model is working. The system improves the security, efficiency and speed with which 200 entities in the three branches of state government can control their finances and payments. "It ain't your grandpa's state government," boasts Auditor Rita Meyer. Some of grandpa's regulatory remnants persist, however. The procurement office, for instance, struggles with a complicated rule that favors local products and services but may cost more to calculate than any value it brings.
Besides, it hardly seems that Wyoming needs much more home-state business. Already, competition with the private sector for labor is hindering its ability to fulfill core services — particularly in less-populous jurisdictions. The Department of Family Services, for instance, would like to shift personnel to some of the energy-boom towns, but can't transfer them because that would mean removing the sole staffer in a rural county. And the Department of Corrections simply can't offer entry-level jobs competitive with ones in the energy industry.
Wyoming's small population and strong economy create inevitable challenges for the Human Resources Division. While the HR agency is determined to be more helpful to other state agencies, the government as a whole badly needs improved human-capital planning and coordinated training. Wyoming's leaders are far from having a clear strategy to fill jobs in ways that are timely and fair.
Wyoming would be vulnerable to a drastic drop in mineral prices, but interest from the $3.3 billion Permanent Mineral Trust Fund and a habit of socking away budget surpluses in "coffee cans," as the state's contingency funds and trusts are affectionately called, give the state a tightly knit safety net.
For additional data and analysis, go to pewcenteronthestates.org/gpp.