2009 Wyoming Legislative Ideals

The 2009 General Session of the Wyoming Legislature begins on Tuesday 13 January and will meet for 40 days. Under legislative rules and constitutional edicts, the legislature in this state deals with the budget for a biennium period as well as other areas needing attention and legislation.

Here is a list of areas that are in need of attention and new legislation.

--1) Increased cigarette, tobacco, and liquor taxes to fund health care costs and discourage consumption: Wyoming tobacco and liquor taxes are among the lowest in the nation, and there are serious substance abuse problems in this state with ramifications on families and concerning crime. A phased in doubling or tripling of all taxes over 3-4 years should be enacted. Increasing taxes will save tremendous amounts of money in the near and distant future for health care costs for all citizens, as well as result in greater efficiency and savings for state and local government, particularly for law enforcement and the criminal justice system.

--2) Commercial diesel fuel taxes and highway upgrade funding: Wyoming highways and roads are increasingly in deteriorating condition, and funds from the federal government over the last half - century and more that have maintained and improved roads throughout the state are in a serious irreversible decline. Semi truck traffic is largely if not all but completely responsible for road deterioration, and increased truck traffic on interstates has resulted in a reduction in safety, capacity, and quality. Semi truck traffic is projected to increase tremendously in perpetuity. Diesel fuel taxes should be increased by about 10 to 25 cents per gallon. Wyoming citizens who own diesel powered personal motor vehicles should get a reduction in their registration fees and property taxes so as the tax increase does not impact them. At some point soon, fuel stations should be mandated to be designed so as drivers licenses and vehicle registrations can be inputted so fuel taxes can be applied differently for resident citizens as compared to others. This would allow for greater efficiency as well as targeting different kinds of vehicles and places of origination. States that have semi trucks with greater numbers on Wyoming highways should have those vehicles paying higher fuel taxes than those state with less truck traffic on highways. The monies from these new tax sources and reciepts should be directed towards fully improving I-80 its entire 400 mile length across the state as well as I-25 and I-90. Additional projects previously recommended on this blog could be additionally funded as well.

--3) Real ID non-participation: This federal legislation passed by Congress in a time of hysteria fed by a media and executive branch frenzy is clearly unconstitutional and violates the spirit, heritage, and tradition of The Bill of Rights. Over 30 states in the union have already taken steps to some kind of extent to protest this plainly wrong federal legislation. Wyoming should do the same in the strongest terms possible. An approach taken by Idaho as was earlier written here is a good place to start the discussion and writing of legislation.

--4) Government contracts limits on corporate pay: Corporate executive and management pay has gotten so out of line and obsene relative to incomes by most citizens. Steps to reduce this greed and injustice are often difficult to find, but state government should set a restriction on any company wanting to bid or have a contract with any kind of government (state, county, local, schools, and others) that limits all compensation and salary of any and all officials, executives, and management of that company or corporation to be no more than equal of that of the governor of Wyoming.

--5) Stricter limits on re-sale of copper and other precious metals to recycling facilities and elsewhere: There has been an epidemic of theft of important metal materials from all kinds of locations, both public and private. Most always this stolen material is sold to recycling centers, both in state and out. Restrictions need to be put on these kinds of transactions, with identification recording requirements, fingerprinting of sellers, and maintaining of records for law enforcement authorities to be able to consult to solve thefts of these materials. The laws envisioned would be as strict or more than those followed by the pawn shop industry. Wyoming should also formally request all neighboring states enact similar strict legislation to eliminate the problems from crossing borders.

--6) Uniformed law enforcement and state employees professionalism: Many uniformed law enforcement and state and local officials and employees present a less than professional appearance with slovenly facial hair, unusual haircuts, tattoos, and physical bodies distorted by outlandish body building. Such outward displays are unsightly and present a fearful, hostile, threatening, images to most citizens, particularly the elderly and young. Standards should be implemented that follow those of the United States military forces and its personnel, particularly the United States Marine Corps. Our state's and communities' finest should be as exemplary in appearance and performance as our nation's finest. Taxpayers deserve no less.

--7) State capitol renovation: The Wyoming State Capitol building in Cheyenne is in desperate need of renovations, modernization, and technological improvements. Legislation should be enacted to complete all that is needed over a 1 -3 year period. Being in this building for important work for the citizenry should not be an experience that is is inconvenient, dangerous, and uncomfortable to the extent it is distracting and defeats the purpose for legislators and their staffs being there to work conscientiously and carefully.

--8) Dog fighting felony: Legislation was enacted in the last session which strengthened laws that were the nation's weakest, but the laws need further strengthening and toughening including the definitions of crimes and penalties for. Legislation concerning abuse of livestock, particularly horses in rodeos, should be considered carefully for study and research due to the important tradition of agriculture and ranching in the state.

--9) Indexing of state minumum wage to counties cost of housing: Wyoming's minimum wage is equal whether one is in an inexpensive county like Natrona or an expensive one like Teton. The minimum wage in each county should be indexed to housing costs with a base level established in the least expensive county for housing costs, rentals included. A cost of living adjustment should be included so as housing inflation does not weaken the earning power of citizens.

--10) Street racing, automobile mufflers, exhaust, and noise punishment oversight and punishment; Increasingly there is an epidemic of motor vehicles with loud, at times deafening mufflers and exhaust, overt display of racing items like spoilers and lighting to indicate to other vehicles availability for street racing and reckless driving, and tires and wheels that are unsafe and purely exist for street racing. These products should be banned on licensed street legal motor vehicles. Street racing is out of control on streets and roads in many communities and areas throughout the state, with often dangerous and unintended consequences for participants, bystanders, and innocent victims. A committee of individuals in law enforcement and other sectors should put together a set of stringent regulations with strict punishments to remove these threats and perils to citizens from streets and roads.

--11) Availability of tobacco age to 22 over next 5 years: Studies show the older an individual, the less likely they are to become addicted to cigarettes, snuff, and other tobacco products. Alcohol is already an age 21 product, and tobacco products should be as strict and more so given their deadly effects and harm, as well as long term costs for all citizens for health care and insurance. The age should be increased over a five year period to grandfather in all current young consumers who would be difficult to oversee with their existing purchasing, possession, and use practices and addictions.

--12) Carryout food sales tax: Much like tobacco and alcohol, studies show "fast food" has serious health consequences for those consumers and for health care costs for all citizens, as well as social costs for communities statewide and elsewhere. A one or two percent statewide sales tax on these fast foods could be used to discourage irresponsible consumption and fund health care for youths, pregnant women, and adults ages 50-61. A volunteer committee of scientists and health care professionals from various academia and the health care industry appointed by the governor would be responsible for maintaining a list of products that are identified as being unhealthy from these kinds of businesses as well as from retailers.

--13) Censure of Dish network for failure to carry the MTN: The University of Wyoming and its athletic programs that compete in the Mountain West Conference are an important part of being a citizen of Wyoming and a participating, engaged member of communities statewide. The Dish Network satellite service has refused thus far to carry the Mountain West Conference's satellite television network, the MTN. This corporation, its executives, officers, and management should be publicly rebuked and censured by the state for this irresponsible and reckless decision. State law should ban any and all use of Dish. by any government within the state until the MTN becomes available on Dish. DirecTV and cable systems carry the MTN; there is no reason why Dish cannot as well.

--14) Interstate highway interchange & state entrances landscaping, beautification, and upgrades: All five interstate highway entrances into Wyoming should undergo serious improvements to their appearance and outstanding facilities should be constructed. Visitors into Wyoming should be met with the finest entrances with landscaping, public facilities, and other improvements. Playgrounds for children, historical markers and information, and even private enterprises such as restaurants should be included in such upgrades. Beautification and landscaping should also be markedly improved and upgraded at the junctions of I-80 and I-25 as well as I-90 and I-25, particularly with trees, hedges, shrubs, terracing, wildflowers, and other attractive vegetation and improvements. Funds should be earmarked specifically by the legislature to do just that.

--15) Banning of automobile insurance companies use of consumer credit data: Credit information is of no importance or significance to automobile insurance companies and should be made illegal to access or consider when setting rates and prices for consumers. Motor vehicle insurance is already an unfunded government mandate on citizens, and it should be made as inexpensive as possible to all to ensure the fullest participation by citizens possible.

--16) Setting progressively indexed electricity and natural gas rates for the bottom one-third of usage and by the poorest consumers: Energy use by citizens who consume less and are poorer should be charged at a lower rate than for those who are wasteful, higher users, and more financially well off. The lowest one-third of users should pay a progressively less amount for units used to encourage conservation and responsibility as well as to financially assist the economically disadvantaged. The legislature should mandate implementation of such programs by utility oversight personnel and bodies on the various utility companies serving citizens in the state. Rates would be set by a volunteer citizen advisory commission appointed by the governor

--17) Resolution encouraging re-establishment of Amtrak service across SE Wyoming: a fuel tax to subsidize the re-establishment: This is a legislative proposal similar to the one stated here in an earlier blog post concerning recommendations for transportation projects statewide to be funded by the impending Obama Administration economic stimulus proposal.

--18) Strict regulation controlling payday loan companies with strict stringent limits on fees and interest: Payday loan dealers are a blight upon our communities and exploit the poorer and less advantaged citizens of our communities. Largely ineffective legislative attempts in CO to address this stain met with failure earlier this year due to the efforts of an important state legislator, Jennifer Viega, whom was funded by the industry with the intent of killing any attempts to further regulate their industry. This simply must not happen in Wyoming. Payday loan businesses need to be regulated out of existence as they have been in several states. A full extermination of this plague must happen.

--19) Implementation of immigration laws as those enacted in OK and AZ: While Wyoming does not have the problems with illegal aliens as many other states, significant loopholes and inadequacies in state and local law encourage aliens to come to live and work in our state, with noteworthy detrimental impacts on communities, local budgets, quality of life, and crime rates. Implementation of strict laws such as in Oklahoma, Arizona, Colorado, and Georgia would be wise to enact before such problems occur in Wyoming to any extent.

--20) Continued study on increasing electricity transmission infrastructure to encourage further investment and development of solar and wind energy facilities: Wyoming possesses oceans and continents of wind and solar energy resources, and revenues for state and local governments that are utterly imaginable. State government must take steps and create incentives to encourage development and construction of electricity transmission infrastructure. Continued encouragement of development of these new era alternative and renewable energy resources as well as further research and development on maximizing efficiency and output should be a stated goal of Wyoming state and local governments to help further economic development and diversification. Property tax incentives, as well as other credits and incentives to be defined by consultants to the governor, should be part of state government's stance on this essential element of taking Wyoming into the 21st century. Wyoming's citizens should be individually benefitting financially with all the plentiful energy resources in the state as citzens in Alaska do, and development of wind and solar energy resources will do just that and more.

--21) Recycling mandates for businesses: Wyoming has little if any mandated recycling programs. Mandating such programs for business would be a great start on getting such processes started. The program would also help create additional businesses and employment, diversify the economy, and further protect and conserve Wyoming's delicate lands.

--22) Banning of mail-in rebates on all retail and wholesale sales and purchases : These kinds of offers are simply ruses to increase cash flows to out of state corporations and have the sly and devious side effect of exploitingng less than diligent consumers having to pay higher prices. There is no valid reason for such marketing tools and price deception to exist in business.

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