2020 Primary Election

*Editors Note: The Saratoga Sun apologizes for missing Lela Konecny’s responses for the 2020 Primary Election Section of this week’s newspaper. Please look for more information on the candidates in the General Election Section October 28th, 2020.

Lela Konecny (L)

Q. The State of Wyoming is looking at a $1.5 billion shortfall and Governor Mark Gordon has called for all departments to make cuts.  What would you do on the House of Representatives to help Wyoming’s financial future?

A. For decades the Wyoming economy has been dependent on mineral extraction, while investing very little back into the industry. Jobs are tied to the boom and bust cycles that make sales tax revenue uncertain and compels young, qualified Wyoming residents to seek jobs and income elsewhere. We need to talk directly to industry leaders to find out what they need to make Wyoming the best State to do business. More jobs in industries that are not as prone to booms and busts will stabilize existing revenues and lessen uncertainty. 

We must also bring innovation to the areas of our budget that have been operating the same for decades. Dollars should follow students so that education can innovate and specialize in a way that will reduce the cost and improve services. We must make sure that Wyoming is getting its fair share of PILT revenue from the landholdings of the federal government. 

I believe that we can rightsize our budget in a way that will bring more jobs to Wyoming and not place more of a burden on Wyoming families. 

Q. For years, Wyoming has relied upon revenues generated from the extraction industry.  With the closure of several coal mines in norther Wyoming and the current Russian-Saudi oil war, do you thing that the State needs to begin looking in other areas for more stable revenue?  If so, where do you think that revenue should come from? 

A. Again, the most important thing that I can do as a legislator is making it easier for resilient companies to operate in Wyoming. I will work to reduce regulations in agriculture, timber, tech, and any other area that is a natural fit for Wyoming.  We want companies like Vertical Harvest Jackson Hole, a company that employs developmentally disabled Wyomingites and produces 100k tons of produce on 1/10th an acre using hydroponic greenhouses. Let innovators innovate and let entrepreneurs apply what they love entrepreneurially. We need to work to reduce the cost of owning a home in Wyoming using free-market solutions to keep qualified, young families in Wyoming. 

Q.  Are there areas you would foresee yourself reaching across the aisle to work with the opposite party?  What areas would you not work with the opposite party?

A. As a Libertarian, I am fortunate not to be held back by party leadership. As your representative, the issues of District 47 would be the only issues I carry with me to Cheyenne. My priorities for my term in office are a healthy budget and an economy that brings more stable jobs to Wyoming, to keep taxes low, reduce obstacles to prosperity, and protect the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I will examine every bill that comes in front of me with those goals in mind and not the partisan bickering that dominates politics today. 

Q. During the 2019 General Session legislation was introduced to increase the tax on wind energy by 500 percent from $1 per megawatt hour to $4 per megawatt hour.  Should there be an increased tax on wind energy produced in Wyoming?  If so, what rate do you believe it should be set at?

A. Before we even entertain any new taxes, we need a complete and extensive external audit of the Wyoming budget. We need to examine areas that have become bloated, ineffective, and wasteful and innovate and rightsize in those areas. We must make sure that our State is getting its fair share from the 48.1% of federal lands that have an impact on our economic growth. Any discussion of additional or increased taxes will not improve our long-term financial stability unless our budget is responsible, sustainable, and reasonable. 

Q.  House District 47 is the largest district in the State of Wyoming.  How much time will you be able to commit to traveling the district to visit with constituents?

A. I am committed to representing the values of District 47, and the only way to accurately represent the values of our district is to be accessible and transparent. I plan to campaign aggressively in all corners of the district, build relationships with community leaders and voters in the cities and towns no matter how small or far-flung. I look forward to meeting as many of my neighbors as I can and continue to build those relationships for as long as my time in office lasts. 

Q.  What goals do you have for your time in office?

A. I would like to see an economic environment where industries that are a natural fit in Wyoming are able to build and innovate here. I want to see regulations rolled back on agriculture so that farmers and ranchers can innovate and invest in improving their yield. We need to make it so young families can live and work in Wyoming for life, by opening more industries that want to come to Wyoming. To do that, we must elect a new generation of representatives who can connect with industry leaders to find out exactly what we can do to make Wyoming a state where business thrives. I want to prioritize families in District 47 so that their needs are met in Cheyenne, and that is exactly what I will do as your representative.