Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ChestekforHD13/
Campaign Phone
(307)460-9139
I retired several years ago from the University of Wyoming College of Law, where I taught legal writing. Writing laws is the essence of what legislators do, so my expertise in legal writing is a valuable skill. In addition, I am now completing my second term in this office. I have developed relationships and a reputation for cross-partisan work with my colleagues in the House, all of which will be helpful in achieving my legislative priorities in a third term. I was a practicing lawyer for more than 20 years before entering academia; for a large part of my practice career I was the chief legal counsel for a large county in Pennsylvania, so I have a long history of working in local government.
I oppose it the initiative because it will harm local services. Backfilling is absolutely essential, but I want to go farther. I want to give local governments, counties and other taxing bodies the power to balance their own budgets to serve the needs of their constituents. Right now, state government can cut local revenues but only local governments can decide which services need to be cut to fit the revenue the state allows them to collect. We need to trust local elected officials to find the proper balance between tax rates and the local services they provide. If they go too far in either direction, they will be accountable to the local residents at the next election. I have a proposal to fix this problem that I hope to introduce.
In most cases, yes. Open spaces and public lands are at the heart of what most Wyomingites treasure about this place. If federal lands are transferred to the state, there will be pressure on the state to then sell those lands for private benefit, and the lands will be lost forever.
That said, there are rare occasions where the transfer of public land for private land of equivalent or greater value or significance might make sense. Trading landlocked parcels for land more easily accessible by the public can be one of those circumstances. Still, the key concept driving those decisions would be to protect the natural habitat and open space necessary for a vibrant ecosystem.
The recently completed recalibration system made significant improvements to the education funding model. One of the biggest benefits was a substantial increase of funding for educational services, allowing us to give good pay raises and to hire more teachers to get closer to the low student-faculty ratios that have made Wyoming's K-12 education system one of the very best in the nation.
But there remains work to be done. The recalibration committee is continuing to meet to address some of the unintended consequences of the "educational silos" that were created, including possible contraints on extracurricular activities. I look forward to continue to address these needs in the next session of the legislature.
In my view, the chief purpose of state and local government is to create a level playing field so that every Wyoming citizen can lead their best, most productive, and happiest lives, according to their own values and desires. To do so, the state must create a safety net to help people up when they fall on hard times, to give them a safe place to repair or rebuild their lives. Programs to address hunger (especially childhood hunger), affordable housing, vocational training, public health and safety, and education at all levels are therefore worthy of public support. I have been a strong advocate for summer food programs for children and education for needy families to help them stretch their food budgets and provide healthy meals.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
