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Keenan Morgan for House District 58
I’m running because I believe in empowering a new generation to put Wyoming First and move Wyoming Forward. We need a Wyoming vision of progress, principles, and passion in politics. I believe in listening to the community and in fighting for people-centered solutions. I believe in accountability and looking out for those among us who are struggling. I’m committed to working on real, lasting solutions that move our state forward, not throwing out buzzwords and empty promises to see what sticks. I have experience in political organizing, policy development, peer and 6-12 education, committee work, and critical analysis. I have AA degrees in History, Political Science, and Secondary Education. I have a BA in Political Science.
It's true that many people are being crushed by the weight of property taxes. The answer, though, is not to slash taxes without considering the after effects, even giving those who have more than enough to pay in taxes a break. As such, the Legislature should: prioritize only cutting property taxes for those of lower income levels; explore ways to raise tax revenue through corporations or other earners who are in very high income levels; reject any effort to broadly reduce property taxes unless a secure, alternative funding model for important programs can be implemented in its place. Therefore, unless the initiative does these things, I would not support it. The state has to cover all bases - backfilling if necessary.
Public lands belong in public hands. End of story. The only trustworthy steward of public lands is the public. Selling or exchanging public lands to private entities will limit public accessibility, damage the environment, and erode the land's quality. That is a net-negative for all Wyomingites. The public should be able to use public land for recreation, hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities. For-profit industries will not treat public land the same. I cannot identify a justifiable reason for selling mass swaths of public lands.
The current structure is not appropriate because there should be more funding and more stable funding. Education is arguably the most important element of any society -- Wyoming is no exception. In addition to being constitutionally required to adequately fund public education, Wyoming has an imperative to ensure our students have the best education possible. In K-12 and in higher education, Wyoming students, teachers, and communities benefit when we intentionally invest in education. That means rejecting unnecessary cuts and actively implementing increases in funding, particularly for student support/programs/resources, teacher support, building and staff support/quality, enrollment incentives, and overall maintenance/facility support.
A society only works when people continue to choose to be committed to each other's well-being. A democratic republic only functions when the people choose faith in systems to provide for the common good. These systems are only as good as the services they provide. When people pay taxes, they expect that money to be used for things that will benefit them. Social services should benefit everyone, which is why public funds should support them. When everyone has a stake in the fire, everyone is interested in its impact and effectiveness. Public funds should be used to not just establish but also to improve social services, including (but not limited to): emergency services, community protection, education, and public transportation.
