diff --git a/awips/dataaccess/PyData.py b/awips/dataaccess/PyData.py
index 52f0b28..6b09af5 100644
--- a/awips/dataaccess/PyData.py
+++ b/awips/dataaccess/PyData.py
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ class PyData(IData):
         self.__attributes = dataRecord.getAttributes()
 
     def getAttribute(self, key):
-        value = self.__attributes[key.encode('utf-8')]
-        return value.decode('utf-8')
+        value = self.__attributes[key]
+        return value
 
     def getAttributes(self):
         return list(self.__attributes.keys())
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class PyData(IData):
         return self.__time
 
     def getLevel(self):
-        return self.__level.decode('utf-8')
+        return self.__level
 
     def getLocationName(self):
         return self.__locationName
diff --git a/awips/dataaccess/PyGeometryData.py b/awips/dataaccess/PyGeometryData.py
index c7bec79..01575b4 100644
--- a/awips/dataaccess/PyGeometryData.py
+++ b/awips/dataaccess/PyGeometryData.py
@@ -37,13 +37,11 @@ class PyGeometryData(IGeometryData, PyData.PyData):
         return list(self.__dataMap.keys())
 
     def getString(self, param):
-        param = param.encode('utf-8')
         value = self.__dataMap[param][0]
-        return value.decode('utf-8')
+        return value
 
     def getNumber(self, param):
         t = self.getType(param)
-        param = param.encode('utf-8')
         value = self.__dataMap[param][0]
         if t == 'INT' or t == 'SHORT' or t == 'LONG':
             return int(value)
@@ -52,14 +50,12 @@ class PyGeometryData(IGeometryData, PyData.PyData):
         elif t == 'DOUBLE':
             return float(value)
         else:
-            raise TypeError("Data for parameter " + param.decode('utf-8') + " is not a numeric type.")
+            raise TypeError("Data for parameter " + param + " is not a numeric type.")
 
     def getUnit(self, param):
-        param = param.encode('utf-8')
         unit = self.__dataMap[param][2]
-        return unit.decode('utf-8')
+        return unit
 
     def getType(self, param):
-        param = param.encode('utf-8')
         type = self.__dataMap[param][1]
-        return type.decode('utf-8')
+        return type