A new year is a natural time for reflection and looking ahead. This year promises to be another important one for Wyoming, with a major statewide election and big decisions to be made about our state’s future. Looking ahead to the coming year, what are some of the major political issues we are likely to see debated?
Opinion
One key issue that will be at the forefront of many debates is what we should expect of local and county governments. Last year, the Wyoming Legislature instituted significant cuts to funding for local and county governments. Just one year in, we have seen counties and municipalities dipping into reserves to make ends meet, programs shutting down and services ending. This will only continue as reserves run out and local elected officials must make decisions on where to spend fewer and fewer dollars.
We will see whether the people of Wyoming approve of this new style of government as roads deteriorate, infrastructure like sewer and water goes without necessary maintenance, and local services like parks, street plowing, libraries and senior centers are defunded.. Local government is often the most responsive and most impactful for our day-to-day lives, but current trends point to less local control and more power being concentrated in the state capital in Cheyenne. Expect this debate to continue.
Access to quality and affordable health care is also likely to be a major issue. Wyoming has unique challenges in this area, as our large state, low population and dispersed cities make it difficult to provide access to necessary health care across the state. We simply do not have the population base to support the full range of necessary services in all communities. Some hospitals in smaller population centers have already stopped providing vital services. For example, cities like Evanston, Rawlins, Wheatland and Kemmerer have seen their hospitals close or pause inpatient maternity services, leaving these communities without a place where expecting mothers can have their children. They must now drive to other communities, sometimes hours away, to receive necessary care. Determining how to provide health care, especially in rural communities, in a way that is economically viable for both the providers and patients, is a massive issue that we have not made much progress on yet. As our population ages, this issue is likely to become more and more urgent.
Education is also likely to be at the forefront of many debates. Our state constitution requires the Legislature to fund a top-quality education, although the question of how and what should be included is a matter of significant debate. The Wyoming Supreme Court is considering two cases that are likely to have major implications on the future of education in Wyoming, as it decides whether the state can issue direct payments to parents for non-public education and whether the state has adequately funded our public system. Regardless of the outcome of these cases, public schools in Wyoming still must provide education in an ever-changing environment. Education is the single largest expense of our state budget and will undoubtedly demand major attention.
Perhaps the greatest question for the long-term outlook of our state is how we stem the tide of outmigration of our young people. We are an attractive state for retirees or those who have already built a career or business, but we fall behind when it comes to those starting professional life. The answer is not just low taxes. If that were the case, we would be in great shape, as our tax burden is among the lowest in the nation. We must decide to do something more to build places where families are confident they can prosper. Quality careers, access to amenities beyond just our outdoors, the education, health care and community infrastructure that gives people confidence that they can meet their necessary needs at home. All of these are areas that require attention and are likely to be major issues of public debate in the coming year.
All these topics have a common thread. They all wrestle with the question of what our state looks like in the future and what type of lives our fellow citizens will lead. We must decide whether we want prosperity or whether we want to hold fast and watch the society around us wither away. Most voters do not spend their time following legislative debates or subscribing to political dogma. They want to live good lives, provide for their families and feel like they are making progress. Political decisions can make all the difference when it comes to how our families and communities operate. Let’s hope that all of us, citizens and officials alike, recognize the importance of finding the right solutions to the questions ahead.