Generally I’ve heard the old rub about compromise, that if both sides of an argument leave unhappy, you achieved compromise. But maybe the Wyoming Legislature has achieved something even rarer: After the House and Senate formed a committee to hash out a final budget, both Gov. Mark Gordon and the Freedom Caucus claimed something approaching victory. 

For all of the other legislative fights that have happened this session, it’s nice to see effective compromise on at least one issue. 

Freshman Rep. Powell Hoeft, R-Powell, agreed with the sentiment. 

“I do consider the budget process a success,” he told the Tribune last week. “I am especially appreciative of the Joint Appropriations Committee. Being able to listen in during the interim, this Bi-Partisan Committee worked multiple hours to bring forth a budget that supplied the needs of the people of Wyoming while slowing the growth of government.”

Slowing the growth of government was how the Freedom Caucus, of which Hoeft is a member, put the final budget process in a press release.

“As big government Republicans and Democrats rushed for more spending and government growth, the Freedom Caucus did something historic: We slowed the growth of government, resisting over $4.5 billion in attempted spending increases in the House alone,” the release reads, in part, also noting the budget came in $143 million under the governor’s initial recommendation (the House had initially proposed $171 million in cuts, the Senate none). 

“What a win for Wyoming! And what a win for the citizens across the state who got involved with their government, after the Freedom Caucus-controlled Joint Appropriations Committee members made sweeping cuts to an already lean budget, and came forward letting their voices be heard to their representatives,” Gordon said in his release. “I extend my gratitude to the members of the House who courageously opposed the proposed cuts and insisted on asking the tough questions, even late into the night. Questions that focused on transparency as well as, critically, the underlying reasons for making those cuts. These questions struck a chord statewide and were powerfully voiced right here in Cheyenne by citizens from across Wyoming.”

One of the most high profile compromises came with the University of Wyoming budget, from which the JAC initially proposed cutting $40 million. After debates first halved that number, the committee then settled on no cut this year, with the caveat that UW needed to find $5 million in savings for next year. 

It’s a compromise, and Hoeft said it well. 

“Of course, there is enthusiastic debate on both floors of the Legislature on how to accomplish this balance,” he said. “I believe the concurrence committees did a good job between the House and the Senate to balance and bring forth a budget for the next biennium.”

Of course, last minute tweaks, Gordon vetoes and veto overrides have slightly changed what the sides of the Legislature initially compromised on and there are certainly more frustrations, but on the whole, compromise worked.