Dear editor:
For the last few years, a growing faction of legislators have railed against various budget proposals which would benefit communities throughout Wyoming.
One of the current proposals recommends compensating state employees closer to market rates to avoid losing experienced public sector staff and continue to provide services to the great citizens of our state.
State employee compensation is behind the national average by between 7 and 10 percent. Those employees continue to contribute in more ways than just serving the public in a departmental capacity.
Those citizens are little league coaches, charitable organization volunteers, church deacons, role models, and many more who contribute to their communities.
These individuals work hard to provide services for their communities and neighbors while facing increased staff shortages which in turn creates increased workloads hindering efficiency.
For every dollar spent on their salary it returns into the community they serve at a rate of $1.30 to $2.00 of value, through the "local multiplier effect" .
I believe some legislators are not considering all of the facts and variables that go into every staff member lost throughout state agencies.
First and foremost, the tens of thousands of dollars that go into the training and initial hiring of these staff members is lost when we lose a staff member.
Second, the experience that is lost is sometimes irreplaceable and creates negative economic impact in terms of increasing liability exposure for the state.
Third, lower staffing levels due to lower wages increases the workload for current staff and can lead to burnout and ineffective solutions for a citizen's needs.
Lastly, we are losing members of our communities and their families' positive impacts on those communities.
Certain misguided views based on national talking points and organizations are part of what is creating a cultural disdain for many state agency responsibilities and their staff.
Wyomingites are subjected to principals and arguments which contradict the true frontier spirit of our great state.
I have witnessed an ideological change in our legislative body over the last decade, many of those who are attempting to change our state into a place that hinders prosperity and drives out diverse career opportunities for our children.
Every state agency and the citizens of our state would benefit from the proposed market rate adjustments that are being recommended.
The elected legislators also need to continue to help those entities that are working towards continued diversification and growth of our state economy to entice future generations to continue our proud heritage.
This legislative budget session, I am asking you to contact your legislators and let them know some of the proposed visions for Wyoming will devastate the culture and the many reasons we love our home.
Sincerely,
Jason A. Senteney, Torrington
