CHEYENNE, Wyo. — In this edition of “Meet the Candidates,” Thomas Lear shares with Cap City News how he envisions governing Wyoming if elected to the state Legislature. Lear is one of two people running for House District 12.
The following are responses that Lear shared with Cap City News. To view the Q&As of other candidates who have also submitted answers to us, click here.
What are your top three legislative priorities for Laramie County, and how do you plan to advocate for them in the Wyoming House of Representatives?
– All of my priorities are wrapped in the notion that we must address a coming economic cliff in Wyoming. The state legislature must address the affordable housing issue that families young and old are facing. We now have the largest percentage of retired-aged Wyomingites in the history of the state and they live on fixed incomes while the value of their homes continues to increase, which in turn increases their property taxes. At the same time, younger Wyomingites are leaving the state at the highest percentage in the nation, due in part to the inability to get into the current housing market.
– Second, we must return our education system to one of the top performing in the U.S. Our spending per pupil is in the top 5 in the nation, but should be number 1 and should be spent differently. I am a teacher and I know many teachers in our K12 system. They do not feel supported by administration and the districts. They do not have the support in the classroom that they need to properly educate our children and many of our buildings are falling apart. Improving our education system will help us to attract and keep the best and the brightest in Wyoming, aiding in the prosperity of Wyoming.
– Third, we must make Wyoming the best place in the country to start a small business. I want Wyoming to become the place that innovative young entrepreneurs come to start a business and invest in Wyoming. We can do this by incentivizing starting a small business here and making it the friendliest economic climate in the country for small businesses.
– These three priorities together can help us ensure that Wyoming will not suffer a significant economic decline when the current older population of Wyomingites leave the workforce.
How do you plan to support and improve the education system in Wyoming, particularly in terms of funding and workforce development?
– I believe, given our population size and economic resources, Wyoming should spend more than any other state per pupil, but money is not enough. Education funding must be spent effectively. Teachers must be given more support in the classroom to ensure that our children are receiving the best possible education. And our buildings must be updated or replaced to ensure the safety and well being of our students.
– I have worked closely with the Career and Technical training programs at LCCC for the past eight years and I have seen the effect that these programs have on the lives of our students and their families. I would like to see these programs expanded and implemented at all of our community colleges.
What measures will you support to improve healthcare access and affordability for residents of Laramie County?
– Healthcare is a significant issue in Wyoming. Too many of our residents are forced to go out of state for quality healthcare. Many choose to have their children at out-of-state hospitals because they do not trust our local hospitals, or they go to a specialist in other states because the wait time with the providers in our state is significantly longer. We have also had local healthcare facilities that were unable to attract and hire quality professionals. This absolutely should not be the case. I believe the state legislature can create an environment in Wyoming that attracts talented medical professionals. I would like to see an expansion of the Wyoming Healthcare Professional Loan Repayment Program to include more medical professional positions, and given the significant increase in the cost of college tuition, I believe we must increase the reimbursement rate for this program as well.
– Encompassed in this issue is what I talked about above — we must make Wyoming an attractive place for young professionals to move, stay, and invest. Young professionals want to live in states that offer a high quality of life with things for them and their families to do. If we create an economic climate that attracts the best and brightest, they will in turn create an attractive place for medical professionals to want to practice.
What strategies do you propose for diversifying Wyoming’s economy and reducing dependence on traditional industries such as mining and energy?
– I believe in facing reality and dealing with the circumstances before you. Minerals are the most significant aspect of our economy and they will remain so for a long time; however, they also create an economic climate where Wyoming is subject to booms and busts due to the minerals market. I believe we can continue to invest in the oil and gas industries while also diversifying our economy and investing in renewable energy. I believe Wyoming should be the world leader in renewable energy. This includes wind, solar, biodiesel, and even nuclear power. However, it means more than just generating the energy. I would like to make Wyoming the leader in the industries surrounding renewable energy as well. That includes all of the parts and suppliers, so we are no longer reliant on other countries to produce these materials for us and we can benefit as a state on the export of these materials as the world continues the shift to a more diversified energy climate.
– That said, my first priority is investment in small business. Small business is the driver of Wyoming’s economy and it is the key to our economic future. We are capable of becoming the friendliest state in the nation for small businesses and attracting some of the most talented entrepreneurs to invest in our future. This is also a key to keeping our young people in Wyoming and closer to their families.
How do you plan to stay connected with your constituents and ensure their voices are heard in the legislative process?
– One of the reasons I am running for the Wyoming House of Representatives in HD12 is to change the way our legislators interact with their constituents. I believe legislators should be more responsive to the people of Wyoming, soliciting their input on legislation, and serving their interests more closely. As I have gone door-to-door in our district, I have asked my neighbors what issues they are most concerned about and I have told them that, if elected, I will communicate with them frequently. I want to hear their opinions and feedback on the matters before the legislature. I will do this through social media, email, and even a regular newsletter.
Is there anything else you’d like voters to know about you?
– Yes, I hope to be a very different type of legislator if I am elected. I hate the direction and tone that Wyoming politics have taken the past several years. Too many politicians have entered the legislature with an agenda, influenced either by personal belief or outside forces, that does not seek to serve the people of Wyoming. Legislators are supposed to find solutions to the problems that Wyomingites face, not enact legislation influenced by national politics that addresses a problem that doesn’t actually exist. It is a waste of the people’s resources. If I am elected, I will go to the House to work with anyone that has good ideas and good intentions. I will solicit the input of the residents of HD12 and Wyoming on the matters that they feel are most pressing, and I will do everything I can to ensure Wyoming’s future prosperity.
