PC Commissioner Leslie Robinson DC Report

I attended a leadership training and strategic planning for the National Association of Counties September 10 and 11 in Washington DC. NACo's steering committee chairs, officers and regional representatives met to provide input and guidance on advocating for issues important to counties.

While in DC, we had a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) briefing on Capitol Hill. We heard from Senators and Representatives on the importance of PILT to counties. It was well attended by congressional staff and commissioners from around the United States. There was moving testimony given by commissioners from various states. One in particular was given by a commissioner from Washington State. He spoke of the devastating wildfires in his area. He lost his composure when speaking of the firefighters that lost their lives and his friends and neighbors who have lost their homes. The fires are touching many lives.

During my visit I was fortunate enough to spend time visiting with Congressman Ryan Zinke and Senator Steve Daines' and Jon Tester's staff. I always try to make time to keep in touch and check the status of issues affecting us.

On my flight home from DC to Minneapolis, I sat next to a couple from Minnesota. He asked me where I was from and I told him northern Montana thinking he wouldn't know where Malta was. He asked what town so I told him. He said, "I know where Malta is. I worked on the train when I was seventeen years old. One trip I got the stomach flu so they dropped me off in Malta. I was taken down the street to the clinic. The doctor came out into the waiting room with a shot and gave me the shot in my backside in the waiting room." I assured him that if he got sick in Malta now he wouldn't have to have to get a shot in the waiting room.

Washington DC is a long ways from here but it's important that we keep in touch because too many decisions are being made in DC that affect us here.