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Hello Sublette County, this is Albert Sommers reporting from Cheyenne on Sunday, February 22nd. Last week we did the budget, and a couple of issues of importance to Sublette County were discussed in budget amendments that I have not reported on yet. There was a Third Reading budget amendment which would have eliminated the Prevention Management Organizational (PMO) system of supports for suicide and substance abuse intervention and prevention. Since the Wyoming Department of Health switched to the PMO system, Sublette County has been well served by this coordinated effort. I spoke against the amendment, and told of the hard work conducted in our county. I voted against the amendment, and it failed. There was a budget amendment that provided an additional $10 million for towns and counties, which would be appropriated by a formula that has been agreed upon by both the County Commissioners Association and the Wyoming Association of Municipalities, except the formula guaranteed more to small towns. This amendment passed, but there was another amendment which was brought that would have penalized Sublette County and its towns, even more than the current formula, for being wealthy. I testified that while our county generated substantial revenues, we also endured significant expenditures resulting from impacts created by those industries. I also pushed back, because the towns in this county have not seen the rise in revenues to the extent the county has. This amendment was defeated, and the amendment which did succeed provides more money to our towns and county than the one that failed.

SF115, the sexual orientation antidiscrimination bill will likely be debated in Committee of the Whole on Tuesday. I have visited with representatives who are bringing amendments to the bill, which will address some concerns I have heard from county residents. I have been asked why should society create protected classes of citizens through these antidiscrimination laws, and the reason is easily understood if you look at what occurred to African Americans in the old south. I will look for amendments to support that provide a balance. I appreciate all of the very civil comments I have received from county citizens on both sides of this issue.

I can be reached at albert@albertsommers.com. My voice updates are available at my website, at albertsommers.com.