Your account does not include highlighter on images.
Searches Highlighted on Image
National Sponsors
| December 17, 2015 News Letter Journal |  |
|
©
News Letter Journal. All rights reserved. Upgrade to access Premium Tools
PAGE 9 (9 of 18 available) PREVIOUS NEXT Jumbo Image Save To Scrapbook Set Notifiers PDF JPG
December 17, 2015 |
|
|
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader 
|
editor@newslj.com
news letter journal N@NS
December 17, 2015 -- 9
from page 1 .......................................................................................
aggressively.
"I thought it was pretty
interesting that the Governor
put it in his budget to use some
of that money," said Lindholm,
who said he believed there are
other options available before
the need will arise to access
the Rainy Day account. "... It's
certainly within the Governor's
purview to suggest we use that
money. That's what he's done,
and I couldn't disagree with
him more. I don't personally
believe it's raining."
On the issues of health-
care insurance and Medicaid,
Lindholm said he is not a
subject matter expert but that
his answer is an absolute 'no'
when it comes to the possibility
of Medicaid expansion. He said
he believes that the proper role
of Medicaid, much like welfare,
ought to be to assist low-income
families and the disabled and
not single, able-bodied persons.
Linholm said he will look to
colleagues in the Legislature for
how best to go about extracting
Medicaid expansion from the
Governor's proposed budget.
Lindholm further noted that
the exit of WINhealth from the
healthcare exchange, which is
now down to one insurer, due
to lower-than-expected federal
reimbursements, has placed
a burden on state taxpayers
who are paying for the state
to administer the company's
closure.
"We're picking up the dime
on what the federal government
started," he said.
On a related note, this
session Lindholm said he is
proposing a bill that will require
state agencies to come up with
a contingency plan in the event
that they lose 10 percent of their
federal funds.
He explained the goal of
the bill is to increase transpar-
ency, though he acknowledged
state agencies may not welcome
the additional workload the bill
represents.
"That's in direct response
to Medicaid expansion and to
the amount of federal money
the state of Wyoming agencies
actually pull in," he explained.
"It's a pretty unknown quantity.
You've got to dig pretty hard to
find that out."
In response to Governor
Mead's call to put the brakes
on the federal Refugee
Resettlement Program,
Lindholm was skeptical.
"I think it's a political
move. Realistically the state
of Wyoming has no refugee
program. We're the only state in
the nation that doesn't," he said.
Lindholm continued, saying
he believes the Governor's
initial interest in the program
was motivated primarily by the
federal funds the state might
stand to gain from it, while in
turn the feds are attracted by
Wyoming's available Section
8 housing and low unemploy-
ment.
Turning to Rep. Hans Hunt,
Hunt noted that the Education
Committee had discussed the
possibility of dropping the
ACT testing requirement for
high school juniors but that ulti-
mately it didn't come to fruition
and eleventh graders will con-
tinue to take the test with the
state paying for it.
The Ed Committee did,
however, give the go ahead to
a student data privacy bill that
originated with the Task Force
on Digital Information Privacy
on which Lindholm sits. The
bill is largely in response to
controversy surrounding
whether the school emails of
student representatives at the
University of Wyoming can be
made subject to open records
requests, which the bill would
deny.
A school safety bill con-
cerning an anonymous tip line
also passed the Ed Committee,
Hunt noted. He said that while
he voted for the bill in com-
mittee because he believes it
warrants further discussion, he
personally has some concerns
with it.
"We already have 911. We
already have teachers and staff
to privately voice concerns to,"
he suggested, while expressing
worries about the possibility of
prank calls and the potential of
pandering to what he called a
growing culture of fear-mon-
gering.
Hunt said the Ed Committee
has one more meeting to take
place in Jackson this week and
& EN
so more may be forthcoming ........................................
As for the Ag Committee's [ ~lN
UP TO $100 REIMBURSEMENT ON YOUR LOCAL HOLIDAY PURCH ES!,, ]
resolution on GMOs, Hunt said
people need to be careful what li Ust drop your receipts P nn de B nk where they It be entere
they wish for in regard to the Christmasx2 drawing. If your receipt is drawn: you II win a
tionP°SsibilitYon the Ofmatter.federalHe saidlegisla'he I i~i~rsement Of its total up toa $] OO.*
preferred not to see the .issue
addressed unless necessary,
noting that public discussion
on the matter may not go the
way those broaching the issue
may hope.
As for the Select Committee
on School Facilities, of which
Hunt is vice-chair, he said a bill
has been sent to the Revenue
Committee and discussion is
ongoing about how to best cope
with a future decline in avail-
able funding.
Hunt closed by saying he
doesn't believe the Governor's
effort to expand Medicaid will
go anywhere, given the strong
opposition, and that few in
the Legislature are interested
in dipping into the Rainy Day
Fund at this juncture, preferring
to wait to see how things turn
out over the next few years. He
said he believes the budget will
be tight but manageable this
session.
Speaking of the state of
healthcare coverage both within
the state and nationally, Hunt
called the situation dire and
predicted it will likely get much
worse before it gets better.
from page 3 ........................................................................................
amongst the many non-profitorganizations the
United Fund supports.
Bock was quick to point out that there is a
difference between the United Fund and United
Way, and that the Weston County organization
is a United Fund, which is less corporate and
allows for the money to stay local. Those non-
profit organizations that benefit from the auction
are rewarded based, in part, by how much they
participate in the event and how many items
their supporters donate for sale.
"During the pie auction, people can not
designate where the money they spend is going,
but there is weight in how much the non-profits
bring to how much they receive out of the final
total," Bock explained. She noted that donations
made to the United Fund outside of the Pie
Auction can be earmarked, and those donating
have the option to choose directly where they
would like their money to go out of the list
of non-profit organizations that are part of the
United Fund. When it comes to the pie auction,
however, Bock said that the number of items
brought from each agency is reflected in how
much of the auction money that agency receives.
She said the practice was adopted to encourage
entities to participate in the auction as much as
possible.
Money is collected throughout each year to
be provided to organizations and agencies that
meet the requirements of being a part of the
United Fund. Bock explained that every year
the United Fund starts a new campaign and
money is collected throughout the year through
personal, employee, and business donations, as
well as other fundraisers besides the pie auction.
At the end of the calendar year, a check is cut for
each organization, and the United Fund starts all
over for the next year.
In order for an organization or agency to be
part of the United Fund, they must be a non-
profit organization that serves the community.
Bock noted that a requirement specified by the
United Fund is that services needed to be local
and stay in the community.
She admitted that, in the past, some organiza-
tions have not qualified to be part of the United
Fund due to the fact that all of the monies raised
for them could not be guaranteed to stay entirely
in the community.
from page 7 ............................................................................
line, and the steep nature of
the slopes adjacent the road
would make running the line off
the road both technically chal-
lenging and expensive.
Chairman Lambert asked
that Attorney Curley and Road
granting its permission, he said,
was whether or not the county's
easement on the road is exclu-
sive or non-exclusive.
According to Nowak, the
landowners concerned are in
favor of the installation of the
and Bridge Supervisor Rick
Williams look into the matter.
"What we're trying to do
is protect the county ... and
still support what you guys are
trying to accomplish," Lambert
told Strickland and Nowak.
!,i
"After falling and breaking my
wrist, I feel that Lifeline is more
than worth its weight in gold. It's
a necessity that makes me feel
secure that I will get help quickly."
Claudia Gottsch
Write your loved ones name on a piece of paper, indicate whether it is
Memory or Honor of them. For donations of $25 or greater you can pick
up your crystal angel ornament at 725 Washington Blvd.
Please make checks payable to WCHS Lifeline and mail them to
1124 Washington Blvd. Newcastle, WY 82701.
Call 307-746-3553 for more information. : ...........
,t~/~lg~i;flI ~,llVlI;~SI O.,atio'
Righi'~#~,F*"
i[
; :: EWCASTLE 204 West Main Street, 307.746.4466 • wypinnbank.com
I
i: i ners will receive reimbursement for the amount of purchase to the qualifying
receipt was from, $1 O0 maxim um per person, Must be t8 or olde : 6 eh er. [
BANKING
Catch up with art
yom" fzlends at T & A!
: i:il¸¸ i iiii~i~!~,
40 Varlety Beers on Tap
and 20+ Wlnes.
Snack on plzza, pretzels,
..... iilii or a gourmet cheese plate!
222 West Main St.
307-746-2223
We wilt be closed
December 24th and 25th.
THE
.... i ii~!~! i;i)!!i~!~!i!i!!i!i!!!!i!!!i!:ii!~!Ci:i
PRESENT, EVERYTIME!
Whether you're shopping for friends and family or thanking your employees for their hard work
and dedication, Decker's Market and Decker's Floral & Gift have gift cards perfect for everyone
FLORAL & GIFT
Delivery
:i: Gift Wrapping