Proposed budget increases $85.5 million over last year's budget

The 2023-24 State budget is now in front of lawmakers at the State Capitol. During the past week, the Senate worked on the $38.5 billion budget, adding $85.5 million in additional spending that included $354,000 in funding for the Yuma school district, intended to help the district pay for the costs of replacing its former Indian mascot.

That amendment came from Senator Byron Pelton, R-Sterling.

Majority Democrats in the General Assembly passed a law in 2021 requiring all public schools with Indian mascots to replace them, except for two that had preexisting agreements with Indian tribes for t...