A new year brings fresh challenges to the state of Wyoming, Park County and the city of Powell.

There will also be opportunities to positively impact the state, county and city, and the people who reside in them. Here’s our take on what lies ahead in the next 12 months.

Gov. Matt Mead started his second term Monday. Mead is at a high-water mark after a sweeping re-election victory. Now is a time for him to use that political capital.

Mead is proposing adding $156 million in state spending for the 2016 fiscal year, which starts July 1. The Legislature, which budgets for two years at a time, had approved a $3.6 billion budget bill during the 2014 session.

While some may wonder about the wisdom of spending more at a time when oil prices are plummeting, Mead points to Wyoming’s nearly $8 billion in reserve and “rainy day” accounts. In fact, according to an excellent WyoFile report on the budget and state spending, Wyoming state government has saved $140 million in the last decade in monies returned to the treasury by state agencies that did not spend all the money they were allocated.

It seems the state can afford to invest in improvements for the University of Wyoming, community colleges, water projects, highways and local governments.

Park County, however, may feel the impact of a downturn in the oil business.

The county is heavily dependent on tax revenue from the energy industry. With the price of oil dropping from a high of $105 per barrel to $50, we can expect a 2015 drop in oil valuation. We may well see a decline in production, too.  

If that is the case, commissioners may be forced to reduce spending locally. The county saw a decline in the total assessed value of property last year; it was listed at $871.6 million.

A continued oil slump may reduce that even more, meaning less property taxes will be paid. However, like the state, Park County has built up its reserves.

The commissioners need to continue taking a cautious approach, but we feel the county is well-prepared to withstand a downturn in oil income.

We are interested to see the new multipurpose building on the Park County Fairgrounds completed. A cold late fall and a rough start to winter put work behind, so the building may not be completed in time for the annual festival.

We hope that the weather becomes a little more reasonable and work can gain steam and perhaps be completed by the last week in July. The building is a welcome addition to the fairgrounds and the city, and we thank the commissioners for their efforts to obtain the funding for it.

The city of Powell continues to focus on capital  projects and equipment needs for FY15-16, according to City Administrator Zane Logan.

“At this point, the most likely projects would be in water and sewer as that is where the most urgent system needs exists,” Logan said. “The electric department will continue with the pole replacement project started this year. The parks will be working on the arboretum grant for Veteran’s Park including a new well and irrigation system.”

We support the city’s effort to build and maintain a firm foundation of solid infrastructure. The state will send millions to local governments to help fund these improvements, and we appreciate both the funding and the fact that the state allows the local governments to decide how to spend it.

The City Council is also working to rebuild city reserves, and as the state and county have shown us, that is a wise move for any governmental entity.

Other issues to contend with include Medicaid expansion, which could bring coverage to 17,600 residents now without insurance. It will probably come before the Legislature, and though some worry about long-range funding, we feel this is a discussion that needs to happen to both protect our residents and relieve the financial pressures on health care providers.

The number of fatal vehicle crashes and workplace deaths and serious injuries are all too high. Seat belt use can reduce deadly accidents on the job and away from the job; let’s help make that happen.