Bill with School Funding Cuts Passes Committee
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6A - Cody Enterprise - Thursday, March 11, 2021 Bill with school Smile factory funding cuts passesCHEYENNE (WNE) committee – The “If you add all of those House Education Committee things up – when the 1% sales voted 5-4 Friday afternoon to tax kicks in – it would equal pass a bill that would cut $30 over $300 million” in savings, million worth of K-12 funding Rep. Albert Sommers (R-Pine- over the next three years. dale) said. House Bill 173 proposes a House Bill 173 is a substi- mix of cost-saving and revenue- tute for a bill drafted by the raising measures to balance Select Committee on School a $300 million shortfall in the Finance Recalibration, which state’s K-12 education budget. originally proposed a $100 mil- If passed in its current lion cut to the school founda- form, the bill would earmark a tion program account. 1% sales tax hike for education, The House Education Com- redirect funds from the state’s mittee debated amendments savings accounts to the state’s all week. school foundation program Some lawmakers, including account and make some adjust- Rep. Cathy Connolly (D-Lara- ments to the education model. mie), raised questions about The adjustments include the altering the Legislature’s edu- following: cation model, which prescribes • increasing class sizes by things like pay and classroom two students; size. • increasing teacher In the end, Reps. Landon salaries by 10% and reducing Brown (R-Cheyenne), Steve photo by LAUREN MODLER administrative salaries by the Harshman (R-Casper), Sandy Lois Schaller, 92, works on a greeting card for her niece in her craft room at Absaroka Senior Liv- same amount and Newsome (R-Cody), Sommers ing on March 3. “I try to do things that make other people happy,” Schaller said. She has been • increasing school districts’ and Committee Chair Jerry making greeting cards for over 20 years. She makes birthday cards for all the residents and allowable cash reserves from Paxton (R-Encampment), 15% to 25%. voted to advance the bill as staff at the senior living facility. “We have to have kindness in our lives and people need people. That would equate to about amended, which now moves to That’s why I do it.” a $10 million cut each year for the House floor for consider- the next three years. ation. PublicBy STEPHEN DOW noticeallowed cities, towns, bill counties defeatedyear complying with publica- onnot about thirdwhether or not this readingor whatever else they need toin local Senate government websites, The Sheridan Press via and school districts to move tion requirements. money goes to support news- read.” the information is sparse at Wyoming News Exchange their public notices – including While some legislators papers … This is really an Sens. Bo Biteman (R-Park- best, outdated and sometimes meeting minutes, salaries and focused on how the state’s issue about giving notice, and I man) and Dave Kinskey nonexistent … So I think they On third reading Friday, ordinances – from the pages of newspapers would be impacted hope we focus on that and not (R-Sheridan) were among really could have shown us the Wyoming Senate defeated the local newspaper to those if notices moved online, Sen. about the financial health of those who voted against the what they could do, and I don’t a bill some legislators said public entities’ websites. Drew Perkins (R-Casper) said our newspapers.” bill. Biteman said many local think they’re quite ready for would limit government trans- Area Sens. R.J. Kost the bill was, first and fore- Kost said that, while the websites simply weren’t ready that yet.” parency by moving public (R-Powell) and Ed Cooper most, about getting important state should continue to dis- to distribute important public During a previous discus- notices out of newspapers. (R-Ten Sleep) opposed the public information to Wyo- cuss the possibility of moving notice information. sion on the bill, Kinskey said “I’m not quite there with measure, while Tim French ming’s citizens. public notices online, now was “I think it would have publication spending made up the notion that we pull the (R-Powell) voted for it. “It was disturbing to me not the time to make the move. helped the case and the cause roughly 0.12% of the average funding that makes sure that The bill was brought to the that this bill has become an “I really feel like … maybe of the argument … if they annual budget for counties and we get information out to floor by Sen. Tara Nethercott argument about supporting we start talking about it,” would have had their websites 0.17% for cities and towns. For our public,” Sen. Bill Landen (R-Cheyenne), who argued the our newspapers and local Kost said. “But right now, it’s up-to-date with the minutes that relatively small invest- (R-Casper) said. move online was essential as communities,” Perkins said. imperative that we … respect on there and showed us what ment, the newspapers reach a Senate File 17, sponsored by many local governments face “To me, that’s not the right those older people … Let’s they could do,” Biteman paid circulation of more than the Senate Corporations, Elec- budget cuts. Nethercott said argument and not the right honor them by allowing them said. “But if you go and look 98,000, Kinskey said. tions and Political Subdivi- local counties spend anywhere consideration ... I hope that as to sit down with that cup of across the state right now Senate File 17 was defeated sions Committee, would have from $11,000 to $101,000 each we consider this, your vote is coffee and read those minutes at these county and city and by a vote of 9-20. AUCTIONS NOW in Cody as Wyoming Outpost Auctions, Inc. Documented “Range War” Colt .45 Single Action Army Sold for $71,438 � .470 Nitro Express John Rigby Double Rifle Sold for $25,100 � Commander Greer’s WWII Colt Government Model 1911A1 Sold for $14,500 WHY US? � EXPERIENCE • VOLUME • AVAILABILITY TRANSPARENCY • SATISFACTION BUY SELL Whether you are looking for your first gun� or If you are looking to sell a single item or to add to your collection, see how we are the an entire collection, learn how we are the best option for completing your purchase - premier choice for getting the best value for Without a Buyer’s Premium! your items. LSB Auctions & WY Outpost Auctions (805)285-0715 www.LSBauctions.com.