-- 2006 Sheridan County Democratic Party Platform --

The Democratic Party of Sheridan County believes in equal opportunity for all Sheridan county citizens to achieve and succeed in their efforts to get a quality education, find a good job, buy a home, provide health care for their families, and exercise their right to participate in our democratic system and have their vote count. To achieve this The Democratic Party of Sheridan County subscribes to the following guiding principles:

1. We Want Sheridan County to be a Place Where Our Citizens Will Stay and Raise Families and Where Our Elderly Can Retire.

Democrats of Sheridan County want quality public education that gives all the citizens the opportunity to reach their potential. We believe in rewarding honest hard work with a livable wage and a tax system that is fair to all the taxpayers. We want to maintain Sheridan’s historical heritage and want guaranteed access to public lands for recreation, hunting and fishing. Democrats of Sheridan County want adequately funded health care facilities, full support programs and oppose any actions by political factions that could jeopardize the future pensions of our retirees. We will work to preserve the public health, economic viability and the quality of our environment for future generations. .

2. We Want People to Have a Voice in Decisions that Affect Them.

Democrats of Sheridan County believe that people deserve a voice in the decisions that shape their future. People need access to their government, and they need to know that their concerns will be taken seriously, not taken lightly or dismissed out of hand. We believe decisions that affect Sheridan County should be made at the local level and that elected officials should take a lead in helping to resolve contentious issues in a manner that best serves the needs of our community. We strongly support the freedom to register and vote without interference from the appointed election officials.

3. We Want to Defend the Rights of Sheridan Residents.

Democrats of Sheridan County believe in every citizens right to privacy and the right and responsibility to make sound, healthy personal choices for themselves and their families without fear of unwarranted government intrusion. Democrats of Sheridan County believe in equal individual rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America and will lead the fight for equal treatment for all the county citizens, regardless of skin color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, economic status or age.  We want to protect the property values of our real estate, while also providing for the orderly and responsible development of Sheridan¹s natural resources. We support strong zoning resolutions to insure that new development in the county doesn’t reduce property values of neighboring landowners or affect the health and safety of Sheridan County residents. We believe it is the right of our citizens to have secure, accessible and affordable housing, available without discrimination and believe it is essential in order to give families a sense of community, self-respect and dignity.

4. We Believe that our Elected Officials Must Demonstrate the Highest Standards of Character and Integrity.

Democrats of Sheridan County believe that elected officials must maintain the highest standards of character and integrity and will solicit and support candidates that believe in these standards. Elected officials should comply with all laws including requirements for public participation, for keeping meetings open to the public and should at all times avoid even the appearance of conflicts of interest or impropriety. We support the passing of laws regulating strict enforcement of ethics and conflict of interest, concerning all state and local government officials.

In addition to these four principles, the Sheridan County Democratic Party reaffirms its support for the principles expressed in its 2004 County Platform and recognizes the Wyoming and National Democratic Platforms.

Additions from the floor to 2006 platform

As highlighted by last summer's Supreme Court decision in Kelo v. New London, the constitutional right to condemn private property under the power of eminent domain has been twisted into a prerogative of the powerful to take private property for perceived economic advantage. The Sheridan County Democrats believe Wyoming's eminent domain statutes should be revised to make it clear that eminent domain should be used as a last resort to accomplish clear public benefits, and that condemnees should be able to request jury trials on questions of compensation and good-faith negotiations for condemnation takings.

As hunters, anglers, sportsmen and women, hikers, responsible ATV riders, horseback riders and those who appreciate our natural environment, we support the protection of Wyoming's last remaining National Forest roadless areas. We support responsible, sustainable use of our public lands including oil and gas development, logging, grazing, ATV use, hunting and recreation; but with 12,000 miles of roads existing in Wyoming's national forests today, we understand that the forest service cannot take care of the roads they manage today, and are backlogged for years in taking care of deteriorating road systems. We understand that roadless area conservation will not close any existing roads and that legal 2-track and motorized trails provide summer ATV use and winter snowmobile use. Public lands provide a quality of life that gives an equal opportunity for all Wyoming workers, students, elderly and elites to enjoy. Roadless area protection also assures that we have critical habitat for elk, moose and deer as well as clean drinking water for our communities, like Sheridan, Buffalo, Tensleep, Basin, Greybull, Lovell and other towns that get their water from the National Forest.

Resolved: That the Sheridan County Democratic Party supports the petition to place on the November 2006 ballot the question: "Shall we increase the number of County Commissioners from 3 to 5 members?"