The budget was signed this morning by the Governor.  Some highpoints of the budget that Rep. Gingery worked on and made sure that they passed

$2.5 million into the Wildlife Trust Fund

$2 million into the Cultural Trust Fund

$685,000 for telepsychiatry — Rep. Gingery serves as the Co Chair of the Select Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse and worked to get this provision in the budget.  Many communities do not have psychiatrists and by allowing patients to access psychiatrists through teleconference will expand patient care and reduce costs considerably.

$5.5 million for Developmental Disabilities.  This was the area of the budget that Rep. Gingery worked the most and came into conflict with the House Leadership on this issue.  Rep. Gingery was successful in getting  the funding into the budget.

Rep. Gingery was also successful in getting the sex offender treatment program funded fully at the State Penitentiary and working with Rep. Jim Roscoe was able to obtain funding for a law clerk for Judge Tyler in Pinedale.

Teton County School District #1 will receive $37 million this year which translates to $16,000 per student with 2317 students.  This is an increase of about $1million from last year.  The average teacher salaries in Teton County have doubled in the last 10 years going from $33,000 in 2000 to $65,000 in 2010.

Teton County and the Town of Jackson will receive their standard under the cap appropriations, mineral royalty grant foundations, state aid for county roads, and business council funding.  In addition the Legislature has appropriated the following funds from  the general fund to assist the town and county in these times of decreased local sales tax and property tax revenue.  The Town of Jackson will receive an extra $603,531 to help them with their budgeting this year.  Teton County will receive $492,174.

The final budget numbers are as follows

$2.9 billion from the General Fund  (a decrease of about a $1 billion from the last budget)

$1.6 billion from the School Foundation Program to fund K-12 education

$244 million for new school construction out of school capital construction account

The Legislature chose not to touch any of the state’s reserve funds, so there is still $712 million residing in the primary rainy day account.  There is also $40 million in the School Foundation and about $150 million sitting in the Water Development accounts.

There are some hundred billion galaxies, each with, on the average, a hundred billion stars… ten billion trillion.  In the face of such overpowering numbers, what is the likelihood that only one ordinary star, the Sun, is accompanied by an inhabited planet?

-Carl Sagan

There is no greater “drug free” reality shift then experiencing your first UFO sighting.  Mine was back in 2003.  A reassuring voice was sensed inside my head that calmly said “go outside, go outside” and so I did.  It was in the evening an hour or so after dinner in the burbs of upstate NY.  Not a star was visible due to a low, thick blanket of clouds that glowed slightly orange due to the light pollution of nearby downtown Schenectady.

As I walked down the driveway of my parent’s suburban home my world changed forever.  Hovering about ½ mile away, roughly 45 degrees up was a glistening red orb.  My estimate was that this bright ember in the night sky was about 30′ in diameter and blazed like a small sun.  Every now and then it’d swirl erratically as if  being jiggled from heaven by a giant fishing pole.  I stared at it and “it” seemed to be staring back for about 20 minutes.  A curious long sleek military jet then appeared and cruised by the shining sphere, slightly above the red ball and just below the layer of clouds.

Without a fellow witness, I realized that no one would believe me.  So, I ran inside and grabbed my dad and the cordless phone to call a friend in Colorado.  A minute later we were both outside gazing at the orb which had drifted  a few degrees to the right, but maintained the same altitude.

My dad was a bit freaked.  The friend I had called was baffled and asked me to pass the phone to my father to confirm I wasn’t losing my mind.  While they were talking about the mysterious object hovering in the air the large barracuda-like airplane buzzed back for another fly by, but this time from below.

We gazed at the hovering anomoly for another 30 minutes or so, as the glowing ball slowly continued to casually drift west about 100′ beneath the urban induced orange haze.  Every few minutes it’d do a little swirling orbital dance as if to make sure we realized that what we were looking at was certainly not a weather balloon.  I’d lose my breath every time.

Houston, Do We Have a Problem or Possible Solution?

It turns out that former president Jimmy Carter had a UFO sighting while governor of Georgia back in 1969.  10 other members of his local Lions Club also witnessed a “self-luminous” object in the sky that according to Carter’s official report “Came close, moved away, came close and then moved away.”

Fast forward a few years and Carter as President of the U.S.A requests from the CIA director all government documentation of UFO or Extra Terrestrial activity.  George Bush Sr., “W’s” daddy, was in charge of the CIA at the time.  He refused to share any relevant information.  It’s also been revealed that Bill Clinton’s efforts accessing classified E.T. documentations were also largely denied.  Evidence has even surfaced to support that the choreographed assassinations of JFK, RFK and Marilyn Monroe were related to keeping the lid on “other worldly” matters from being publicly discussed.

There have been thousands of witnesses, many of them U.S. government or military personnel claiming to have seen UFOs and or E.T.s and their technologically advanced equipment.  The Disclosure Project, a group lobbying for total declassification of this expanding phenomenon,  has over 500 of these testimonials recorded on video.  Most begin with “I don’t expect you to believe this, but…”  However, they all seem to conclude with a commitment to attest before congress if given the opportunity.

January 8th, 2008, dozens of people including members of local law enforcement described seeing a roughly 1 mile long, ½ mile wide “space ship” silently floating over the town of Stephensville, Texas.

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin has gone on record confirming UFO visitations and film footage taken of these encounters during the Apollo missions.

Even the Vatican, historically rather regressive pertaining to matter’s beyond Earth’s orbit, views life on other planets as “very interesting and deserves serious consideration”.

The fact that Bush Sr. refused Carter’s request for UFO/ET data is a classic example of whose really in charge of our government.  It’s not the President that’s for sure.  This obvious problem needs to be addressed soon.

Bush’s violations also clearly indicates ulterior motives directly related to his role as an ambassador of the oil industry and military/industrial empirical complex.  We know through testimonials of former government researchers that reverse engineered E.T. technology exists, but has been indefinitely “back shelved”.  Access to this advanced engineering would quickly subvert the oil companies dominance over us all.  Our dependence on fossil fuels for heating, electricity and transportation would be efficiently replaced with clean, environmentally responsible alternatives.  They don’t care about our current ecologic collapse, just maintaining profit and power.

The other prevailing reason that’s surfaced as to why aspects of our supposedly Democratic government refuse to acknowledge the existence of extra terrestrials and world changing technology?  They don’t want to initiate a panic with the people.  Concerned citizens are all ready quite frightened when it comes to our current planetary problems.  The truth and pending shift would actually be a huge relief.

One Disclosure Project testimonial reports that a covert branch of our government has all ready classified 57 separate E.T. species many of them identical to human form, but with heightened telepathic abilities.  It makes one wonder if we actually evolved linearly from monkey’s or were we dropped off by flying saucers roughly 100,000 years ago?  Perhaps, George Lucas knows something that we don’t for humans intermingle with aliens in all of the Star Wars films.  Is Science Fiction merely a method of preparing humanity for the inevitable?  Time will tell.

It’s clear that we earthlings are like naive fishes swimming in a bowl.  My continuing UFO interactions, similar experiences amongst my community and collected historical evidence gathered around this world reveals that “Contact” has all ready occurred long ago.  It seems we’ve been in an intergalactic quarantine phase that is about to end.  When will the apparently compassionate and patient races from beyond this galaxy decide to literally make the world stand still is a looming question.

This day is likely approaching much sooner then expected.  A date with destiny is upon us that disregards our governments goals of secrecy and deception.  It’s time to meet our neighbors.  If you feel a pull to go outside and look up, please do.

As some of you probably recall from previous legislative sessions, I fight every year to get money into the developmental disability program.  Some years I have been successful and others I have not.  The vote today was 35 to 23. 

Last year the Governor did a 10% cut of the developmental disability budget.  This has caused considerable problems within the developmental disability community.  I met with parents of children with DD before I left Jackson and told them I would do what I could do.  They are greatly concerned that without this money, some group homes may have to close down.  The 10% cut translated to $8.2 million.  The appropriations committee had already put back in 5% which translates to $4.1 million.  This amendment today added back in the other 5% which was another $4.1 million.

Rep. Madden gave a great speech in support of the amendment quoting from the Wyoming Constitution that we have a duty to provide for those that can not provide for themselves.  It was a good argument and very persuasive.

We still have a battle ahead.  There will probably be an attempt to rip out the funding on 3rd reading on Thursday.  And then if it does pass the House of Representatives, we will still have to hold it in conference committee with the Senate committee. 

But at least we are moving positively forward.

FOR RELEASE: Immediately

CONTACT: Wendy Madsen, Legislative Information Officer or Anthony Sara, Associate Legislative Information Officer TO REACH: (307) 777-7881

2010 BUDGET SESSION REACHES BILL CROSSOVER PERIOD

CHEYENNE - After convening just a few short weeks ago, the Wyoming Legislature has reached *halftime* of the 2010 Budget Session.

Tuesday marked crossover period for the body, meaning it was the last day for third reading in the house of origin.  Any legislation that did not successfully pass third reading in the primary house Tuesday will not go on for further consideration in the opposite chamber. 

At the start of the session on Feb. 8, a total of 224 bills were numbered for introduction.  With less than two weeks remaining in this year*s session, 149 bills remain active at the crossover period.  The Senate introduced 77 pieces of legislation and 62 of those bills have moved to the House for consideration.  The House introduced 137 bills and passed 87 bills on to the Senate for deliberation. 

Both the House and Senate have addressed a broad range of issues affecting Wyoming residents thus far, and now the second house will get a chance to make changes and pass or vote down those bills sent from the house of origin.  Although these bills have passed in their primary house, the legislation still must gain the approval of the second house and be sent to the Governor*s Office for consideration before becoming state law. 

Friday will be the last day for bills to be reported out of committee in the second house and Monday will mark the last day for Committee of the Whole on bills in the second house. March 2 is the last day for second reading on those bills and March 3 will be the last day for third reading on bills in the second house. Lawmakers hope to wrap up the 2010 Budget Session March 5.

In addition to the 149 bills currently being considered, legislators are crafting legislation for the State*s two-year budget. Both bodies received identical *mirror* copies of the budget bill Monday and will take up the third and final reading of the bill Thursday. During the week of March 1 the bodies will begin the process of reconciling the differences between the final House and Senate versions of the budget bill. It is anticipated that a joint conference committee will be appointed and meet the week of March 1 to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the budget bill. After each Chamber votes to concur on the conference committee*s action, the bill will be sent to the Governor for his consideration. 

With the 2010 Budget Session now at its halfway point, the Wyoming Legislature encourages the public to continue to actively participate in the legislative process.  For a complete list of all the bills that are still active and to track their progress as the session continues, please visit the Legislature*s Web site at http://legisweb.state.wy.us/. - End -

Anthony Sara

Associate Legislative Information Officer Legislative Services Office

213 State Capitol

Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002

Phone: (307) 777-7881

Fax: (307) 777-5466

Interview on Wyoming Public Radio

Senator Barrasso, Senator Enzi, and Congresswoman Lummis each spoke to the Wyoming Legislature on Friday.  All 3 had a common theme that Congress could learn a lot from the Wyoming Legislature.  Specifically we only have one subject per bill, the amendments are germane, we balance our budget, the Governor has line item veto.

Representative Colin Simpson, the Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives has been working for years for improvements to our health care system.  Below is a letter that he sent out earlier today describing some of the bills that he is working on.

As this budget session continues, there are two bills I’d like to highlight that may be acted upon this week by the Wyoming House of Representatives. During these tough economic times we need to reduce costs for hard-working Wyomingites - so they can afford health coverage - and reduce costs for small businesses so they can create new jobs. These bills do both.

The first is the Wyoming Affordable HSA Eligible High Deductible Health Plan Act (House Bill 108), which follows a market-based approach to reduce health insurance premiums by encouraging the use of health savings accounts (HSAs) coupled with low premium health plans.

HB108, as amended by the House Corporation’s committee, encourages consumer choice by making quality affordable healthcare coverage more available and can help promote the use of these plans.  The goals of the legislation are to encourage people to use pre-tax dollars to pay for health expenses, including health insurance; promote personal responsibility and preventative care; and incentivize people to look for value in what they are buying. The bill does not contain individual or employer mandates and it does not impose non-participation penalties.

The second bill I’d like to bring your attention is House Bill 128, which seeks to allow Wyoming citizens the option of purchasing health insurance across state lines. The bill was laid back at my request until February 18th so I can study similar legislation working its way through the Georgia Senate and propose improvements to my bill. A few states, like Wyoming and Georgia, are trying to figure out how to open up the market to more available and affordable insurance coverage for their citizens. More insured citizens means lower costs for taxpayers. By promoting uniformity and reciprocity of laws and regulations among a handful of states we can lower administrative costs for insurers and insurance costs for the consumer.

Both of these bills are an important part of a collection of state actions whose cumulative effect can help lower the cost of health insurance and make health insurance plans affordable for Wyoming citizens. 

With kind personal regards,

Colin M. Simpson

Wyoming Speaker of the House

P.S. Come take a look at my redesigned website, with up-to-date news, links to streaming audio, and more!

“Where’s the 757 in these 9/11 photos?  Anyone, anyone, anyone…”

When the empirical Dark Lords of the Bush and Bin Laden regimes began choreographing 9/11 they failed to foresee a fateful flaw in their sinister plans to wage their soul-less, profit driven war.  This would be the emergence of the Internet and a cultural phenomenon called Youtube.com.

The reptilian Republicans assumed that their “shock and awe” strategies would sweep panic and fear over the American people, while the blaringly obvious evidence behind the pre-planned implosions of towers 1, 2, and 7 were quickly swept under the rug.  As well as the unmanned, remote controlled, kamikaze fighter jet that crashed into the Pentagon.

Fortunately, the frightening facts behind 9/11 have all surfaced on Youtube.  This online video library, less then 3 years old, has blossomed exponentially to contain every thing from the latest pop-starlet music video to the cold hard data collected that blatantly reveals, over and over, that the true terrorists reside[d] in our White House.

The truth awaits you, simply by typing “9/11 truth” or “loose change” into the search box, but only if you have the courage to have your naïve bubble burst.  Thank God that our evil dictators are so brazenly stupid and so poorly covered their Devilish tracks.

It’s only a matter of time for the inevitable collapse and restructuring of our Nation, and I am confident that we are right on schedule.

Please view these clips when you have the time:

Danish scientists discover nano-thermite in 9/11 dust samples

Laser targeting Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, evidence of military technology on 9/11

Loose Change

WTC Lease holder, Larry Silverstein explaining how the fire marshall made the decision to detonate Tower 7

BBC News reports on Tower 7 collapse while it’s still standing in the background of the reporter

Today we are going to experiment by trying it out with the committee that I chair, the Judiciary Committee.  The Judiciary Committee will hear the DUI bill at 8 a.m. this morning and will hear testimony over videoconference from sites throughout the state.  Then we will repeat it again at Noon for the Access to Justice bill.  It will be interesting to see if we get much interest.  We have tried to advertise it throughout the state, so that people are aware of this new option.  Depending on the use, we will decide whether to expand the program.

I think it is great to see a push to increase access by citizens to their elected officials.  Traveling all the way to Cheyenne has always been a roadblock to hearing from everyone affected by our decisions.  We certainly hear from citizens in the southeast part of the state, but it is rare to hear testimony from anyone on the western side of the state.

Beyond just testifying, it gives the citizens an opportunity to actually see their legislators at work.  By providing transparency it hopefully improves the work being done.

FOR RELEASE: Immediately

CONTACT: Wendy K. Madsen, Legislative Information Officer or Anthony Sara, Associate Legislative Information Officer TO REACH: (307) 777-7881

VIDEO CONFERENCING AVAILABLE THURSDAY FOR PUBLIC DURING CONSIDERATION OF TWO HOUSE BILLS

CHEYENNE -  Representative Keith Gingery, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has announced that the Committee will be holding public hearings on the following legislation: HB38 (Driving under the influence - amendments) and HB61 (Legal services funding). HB 38 will be taken up on Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.  HB 61 will be taken up on Thursday as well beginning at 12 p.m. Additional information can be found on the Legislature*s Web site on the House Committee meeting calendar for Thursday at:

http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2010/Calendar/CalendarMenu/CommitteeMenu.aspx

Room 302 of the Wyoming Capitol in Cheyenne will be the primary meeting location for taking public testimony on this legislation.  For individuals unable to travel to Cheyenne, selected video conferencing sites around Wyoming will be open to the public to testify and participate in the hearing, as listed below. 

Public testimony will be limited during these hearings, due to committee time constraints to consider this legislation.  In addition, due to seating capacity at each of the video conference locations listed below, the public will be accommodated at the sites on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Video Conference Locations:

Workforce Center 851

Werner Court, Suite 121

Casper, WY 82601

Seating Capacity 25

Workforce Center

1026 Blackburn

Cody, WY 82414

Seating Capacity 18

Employment Services

98 Independence

Evanston, WY 82930

Seating Capacity 16

Workforce Center 1901

Energy Court, Suite 230

Gillette, WY 82718

Seating Capacity 25

Workforce Center

155 West Gill

Jackson, WY 83001

Seating Capacity 12

Workforce Center

422 E. Fremont

Riverton, WY 82501

Seating Capacity 20

Workforce Center

2441 Foothill Blvd.

Rock Springs, WY 82901

Seating Capacity 12

Workforce Center

61 South Gould

Sheridan, WY 82801

Seating Capacity 15

Anthony Sara

Associate Legislative Information Officer Legislative Services Office

213 State Capitol

Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002

Phone: (307) 777-7881

Fax: (307) 777-5466