Governor Freudenthal opened the 2011-2012 Biennium Budget session this morning in Cheyenne urging lawmakers to use fiscal restraint when putting togther the state’s next two-year spending plan.  Revenue forecasters are predicting the state will have three billion dollars to spend for the next two years.  That’s a billion dollars less than the current two-year budget.  Wyoming has enjoyed flush financial times for most of Freudenthal’s tenure since he took office in early 2003. However, the state’s energy boom has faded recently, and this morning, he encouraged lawmakers not to dip into the state’s 700 million dollar rainy day fund to make ends meet…(Click to hear comment from State of the State address)

Some state revenue forecasters say revenues could worsen next year.