CHEYENNE, Wyo. — In this edition of “Meet the Candidates,” Ben Hornok shares with Cap City News how he envisions governing Wyoming if elected to the state Legislature. Hornok is one of three people running for House District 42.
The following are responses that Hornok 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?
Property tax relief and spending reform — It is possible to provide meaningful tax relief and reform and still fully fund government services, but it will require a responsible government spending strategy. I will continue to support bills providing meaningful tax relief and reform and will continue to bring common-sense amendments to the budget bills to ensure we are spending the people’s money responsibly. Do we really need to increase our spending so drastically (this year it was around $2.5 billion over what is needed to fully fund our services)? Or should we be planning for the future and be more cautious with spending increases, especially when the taxpayers are overburdened?
Parental rights in education — Children should not have access to sexually explicit materials, especially not in publicly funded schools. I will continue to bring my bill removing the exemption in the obscenity law for teachers and librarians. Students should be taught true history and facts in public schools; it is up to the parents to educate their children on social issues. Parents should have the right to choose the best form of education for their child. The money should follow the student, but it should not come with strings attached, income limits or further expansion of government. Whether this is in the form of ESAs, tax credits or something else, I am confident that Wyoming can come up with a plan that keeps the government out of home and private schooling and still gives parents the option of school choice.
Reduce regulations — Businesses and individuals thrive when the heavy hand of government is lifted. Reduced regulations will help solve housing problems, medical care access and economic shortfalls.
I will continue to support and sponsor legislation and bring amendments to achieve these goals. During my first term, I put a lot of effort into improving legislation without having to compromise the principles for which I was elected, and I will continue to do this if reelected.
How do you plan to support and improve the education system in Wyoming, particularly in terms of funding and workforce development?
The legislature needs to start exercising its constitutionally mandated duty of auditing. We already spend more than most states per student, so we need to ensure that the money sent to the schools is being spent how it is intended. Local districts should be required to spend the money following the same budget structure that is used to allocate the money per the ADM. This will ensure teachers get the raises they have earned, and school facilities are properly maintained. I got my start in the construction industry in a homebuilding class in high school. The trades and home economics are especially important, and we need to ensure that students have the opportunity to explore these career paths and develop these types of skills while in secondary school so they are more prepared to be contributing members of our society. I will support efforts to include these types of programs in the responsible funding of our education system.
What measures will you support to improve healthcare access and affordability for residents of Laramie County?
To improve healthcare access and affordability, we need to reduce regulations and open up the market. We need to ensure there are no regulations in Wyoming that are preventing a variety of affordable options from being available. We need to encourage our federal delegation to work on reversing the stifling healthcare regulations at the federal level. Affordable options include expansion of Health Savings Accounts, allowing for short-term health insurance plans, expansion of health cost sharing options, allowing small businesses to pool together to provide health care plans for their employees, and requiring upfront pricing for health care services. We also need competition for medical services which can be accomplished by opposing/repealing certificates of need. Everyday healthcare needs should not be restricted to services only offered at a hospital or by hospital-owned practices. We need to make Wyoming appealing to providers wanting to go into private practice and out-patient surgical centers. There is a lot of room for improvement in the healthcare sector, but the government’s role in healthcare should decrease rather than increase.
I am opposed to Medicaid expansion. As we have seen in other states that have expanded Medicaid, the projected enrollment numbers are usually much lower than the actual enrollment numbers after Medicaid is expanded. This means it could cost Wyoming (aka the taxpayer) significantly more than we are told to expect. It is important to remember that many single parents, pregnant women and new mothers, children, the elderly and those with disabilities are already covered under Medicaid. The Wyoming Department of Health has said that the single, childless adult demographic makes up the majority of those that qualify under Medicaid expansion. This means working-age, able-bodied adults would qualify for Medicaid if it was expanded. Because Medicaid does not always have a work requirement and they would need to remain below 138% of the federal poverty level, this could provide incentive to stay out of the workforce or not seek gainful employment, which would be detrimental to employers, employees and families. Medicaid only pays 70% of the costs for medical care. If Medicaid were expanded, those who would then qualify for Medicaid but are already on a private, subsidized insurance plan from the exchange would be kicked off that plan automatically and moved to Medicaid. These patients would then go from paying 100% of their care through their private insurance to only paying 70% through Medicaid, which would hurt the healthcare institutions.
What strategies do you propose for diversifying Wyoming’s economy and reducing dependence on traditional industries such as mining and energy?
Wyoming should not let our traditional industries go down without a fight. We have yet to be given a dependable alternative to coal, oil and natural gas, so we must fight against the Left’s, including the current President’s administration, attack on these industries. Wyoming’s economy will diversify naturally if our government stays out of the way by reduced regulations and low taxes and the free market is allowed to run its course. We should also not be propping up industries with taxpayer dollars; that is artificially diversifying the economy. If we can ensure Wyoming is the conservative state that the rest of the nation thinks it is, we will attract businesses and the individuals that are needed for the workforce.
How do you plan to stay connected with your constituents and ensure their voices are heard in the legislative process?
My entire voting record is available on my website (www.benhornokforwyoming.com), and I am happy to discuss my votes with my constituents. I strive to be transparent as to how I represent my district, and my constituents should feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns. During my first term, I sent out session update letters, update emails, hosted meet and greets, and attended meetings held by various groups. I also encourage my constituents to attend the legislative sessions and stress the importance of testifying in committees because we need to hear from the public, not just lobbyists and state agencies. I do read the emails I receive from my constituents, and I have incorporated some of their insight into my bills, amendments and debates. My constituents are a great resource, and their life experience has given them a certain level of expertise in areas that I may not have much knowledge or experience. I have made it a priority to be as accessible to my constituents as I can be, whether that is in person, via phone or email and I will continue to do that if I am reelected.
Is there anything else you’d like voters to know about you?
I moved to Wyoming as soon as I had the opportunity and I have chosen to make it my home for the last 18 years. I am dedicated to making sure Wyoming remains the place we all want to live, work and raise a family, and this is best accomplished through governing based on conservative principles and values. My voting record proves that I defend these principles and values in the legislature, and I will continue to do so if reelected. I don’t want to see Wyoming go the way everyone else is; if you lose Wyoming, what do you have left?
