CHEYENNE, Wyo. — In this edition of “Meet the Candidates,” Travis French shares with Cap City News how he envisions governing Cheyenne if elected as a city councilmember. French was one of six people running for Ward I in August’s primary election. He and three others received enough votes to move onto November’s ballot. Two seats are available in the Cheyenne ward.
The following are responses that French shared with Cap City News. To view Q&As of other candidates in the general election, click here.
What are the top three issues you believe the City Council needs to address immediately, and how do you plan to tackle them?
The top three issues I believe the City Council needs to address immediately are: Infrastructure, Crime, and Downtown.
Infrastructure can be tackled by recognizing the last several years have seen multiple failures in aging water lines. The city council needs to prioritize available funds to be allocated towards projects to replace aging infrastructure. I believe there should be mandated percentages of the budget directed towards these types of fundamental projects.
The root cause of poverty is crime; because of this the focus on crime prevention should be done to establish a city with the ability to prosper. I believe the city should consider adopting a zero-tolerance ordinance on panhandling. This would be the first step in encouraging people to seek charity organizations rather than harass average citizens.
The downtown area has several issues. I don’t believe there is a one-size-fits-all solution; however, any offered solutions should be implemented with a detailed review process built in and an option to sunset whatever provision is enacted.
How do you propose to manage the city’s budget effectively while ensuring essential services are maintained and improved?
The most effective way to manage a budget is to review it. I believe the city council’s budget should be first allocated towards essential services. Any budget item after the essentials should be able to be postponed or cancelled depending on yearly tax revenue. If a project is postponed or cancelled there should be a process to allow for community fundraising if the project is seen as a priority for the citizens, as was used with the splash pad project in the depot area. Additionally, if there is a budget surplus I would advocate ways to invest surpluses wisely with guaranteed returns as to better position Cheyenne for future growth. I will also advocate the city take measures similar to Utah to allow for the use of gold and silver be used as legitimate currency, to further set Cheyenne for future growth.
What are your plans for promoting affordable housing and addressing homelessness in Cheyenne?
My plan to address affordable housing and homelessness in Cheyenne is to lessen the burden faced by current and potential homeowners by the city. Zoning, property taxes, and other things within the scope of the City Council should be reviewed to ensure burdens do not overtake the ability of the average person to purchase a home. By far the biggest hurdle to homeownership is income, so the City Council should be focused on implementing policies that encourage businesses and industry to be able to raise wages for Cheyenne residents.
When addressing homelessness, the focus needs to be on individuals/families with the desire and ability to become housed. Unfortunately, many we label homeless are drug addicted transients that have no desire to become a functioning member of society. Policies that are intended to assist current and future homeowners should be specifically designed for those individuals/families.
How will you ensure that the voices of all community members, including underrepresented groups, are heard and considered in City Council decisions?
As an outsider to the political realm, I will be advocating for detailed review processes to be an annual requirement for any ordinance or other legislation enacted. Hopefully this will create a better feedback process from the average citizen and allow local government to be more responsive in case the 9 people on the city council make an unwise decision. Too often, the people elected to these positions lose touch with what the average person goes through and how to think of solutions outside of the halls of government. I will be reviewing my own positions with a trusted group of people and average residents to ensure that the time I serve in government does not warp my mind in this way.
What initiatives would you support to enhance environmental sustainability and green spaces within the city?
I do not believe wind turbines or solar panels are the answer to any perceived or real issues this city faces. I have spoken with different members of the community involved in the industries Cheyenne relies on and have realized several things: available power needs to double, water needs to be utilized intelligently, and growth needs to be paced. I believe Cheyenne should consider being a site for nuclear power, that would solve our energy requirements for decades and provide well-paid jobs. Water storage facilities should be prioritized along with ensuring yearly water allowances are maintained. Lastly, a city cannot grow exponentially forever. Growth needs to be set at a sustainable pace while ensuring the quality of that growth is maintained. Currently, I believe the growth goal Mayor Collins has articulated is too fast and will cause detrimental issues in the not-so-distant future.
Is there anything else you’d like voters to know about you?
I would like to let voters know that I was inspired to run for city council because I felt governing bodies ignore citizens and refuse to take accountability. I strongly encourage people to reach out to me, I’m always open to meeting with individuals to have discussions regarding issues. My focus, if elected, will always be family, community, and safety. I would like anyone interested in my campaign to like and follow my Facebook page, “French for City Council Ward 1.” I will be posting regular updates and more detailed thoughts I have on issues such as the ones listed above. I have a small team to help me with videos,
promotional material, and voter outreach.
Most importantly, the primary election is August 20th, 2024, and I encourage every resident of Ward 1 to come out and vote Travis French, for a prosperous Cheyenne!
