A what were they thinking episode

A couple of things happened during the past week that had me scratching my head and made me wonder what people were thinking.

First the legislators seeking a tax holiday for school supplies in the first weekend of August. It sounds great for those shopping for supplies except that there are limits and the exemption does not apply to high ticket items.

Here’s the problem, first it will be a logistical nightmare for retail stores who use upc codes for scanning items, which most do. They have to put all the items under the threshold in as non-taxable item and then go three days later and take them all out again.

In speaking with one retailer, he said it would not be easy but if the legislation passes he would do his best.

The other problem is the loss of revenue to cities and counties, something they cannot really afford to lose. According to the fiscal note for Senate File 70, the loss of revenue to the state’s general fund would be $1.8 million and to local governments, $1.6 million.

I understand legislators wanting to help residents with the high cost of inflation but hurting other sectors of the state is not the way to do it.

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On Friday a 6-year-old boy shot his teacher in Newport News, Virginia. According to media reports the gun used was legally purchased by his mother. It is unknown at this time where the firearm was stored and if it was secured.

One has to wonder if it was secured, how secured it was that a 6-year-old could get his hands on it, that no one noticed it missing.

There are so many questions. Why did the mother purchase the gun? Why did she not know her 6-year-old had the gun? Did she talk to him at all about gun safety since there was a gun in the home?

But the biggest question, what makes a 6-year-old, a 6-year-old, I’ll repeat it again, a 6-year-old, turn to that kind of violence. What was he thinking?

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Finally, a Wyoming digital newspaper had a columnist talk about how 2023 would be a calm year. Perhaps they were talking about in Wyoming because so far even the weather has been laid back compared to December. But across the country and globe it is only day 10 (as I write this on Tuesday) in the new year and it’s been nothing but calm.

We had a week long battle by the Republicans to try and elect a Speaker of the House. As one customer noted in the office, at least young people are getting a good lesson of civics and government first hand.

It was painful to watch vote, after vote, after vote, after vote. Listening to some of the speeches was also painful, but it was history in the making.

Then there was Brazil and the attacks on government buildings to try and circumvent an election, reminiscent of the attack on our own election system and our own Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Perhaps things will be quiet in Wyoming this year but we must be prepared for surprises as anything can happen … and usually does.