Making the rounds

On March 18 and 19, Jackie King, a field representative for Senator Cynthia Lummis, came to Carbon County to touch base with residents, organizations and businesses.

The morning of the 18th, King introduced herself to the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC) during their regularly scheduled meeting in Rawlins.

King had also scheduled meetings with constituents throughout the day until she attended the Saratoga Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce's Annual Banquet later that evening in Saratoga. King made herself available to the attendees of the event.

"Some of the most important work we do as Field Representatives on behalf of Senator Lummis is assisting her constituents with issues on the federal level," King said. "One of the ways we can best help is to bring our offices to communities and meet with people one-on-one to hear their comments and concerns first hand. It is through that personal interfacing where we get to learn in depth about the situations they are facing and how to proceed in the most efficient and effective manner to resolve issues."

The next day, King met with the Wyoming Conservation District and then went to Hanna to meet with Pam Paulson, chairman of the Hanna Basin Museum. A constituent from the town had contacted Lummis' office about the Miners' Memorial deteriorating condition. The memorial commemorates the loss of life in 1903 and 1908 mining disasters which killed a total of 228 people.

King took a tour of the Hanna Basin Museum's buildings with Paulson and later went to the Miners' Memorial entrance. The road was snow covered and impassable, but King took pictures and notes.

Her next stop was Medicine Bow where she met Mayor Sharon Biamon. Biamon is also the director of the Medicine Bow Museum. Again, King took a tour with Biamon and discussed the Fossil Museum situation. This building, made out of fossils and dinosaur bone, has been slated to move to the Medicine Bow Museum's grounds for over two years. The contractor has not moved it yet.

King again made notes even though she knows quite a lot about Wyoming.

She was born and raised in the state and has been to Carbon County on several occasions. King said she has great love for the state she has lived in for years and wants the best for it.

It is why she enjoys being a field representative for Lummis, although she cannot answer all the questions put forth.

The Saratoga Sun asked three questions, which were policy oriented. King could not answer them, Senator Lummis did.

It was pointed out, in Carbon County School District No. 2 where the Saratoga Sun is based, $650,000 has to be cut. Many residents feel that the "Rainy Day" fund should be used before cutting extracurricular activities and transportation for sports events. This fund provides interest to fund the state and, if it is dipped into, the state could find itself cutting other programs at a later time.

"Wyoming State Legislators, along with Governor Gordon, have some tough choices before them. Our state's budget situation is serious and there is no silver bullet to see our way out of it," Lummis said. "As a former state lawmaker, I'm reluctant to make comments regarding what our state elected officials should and shouldn't do. However, it is important to note that there are several factors on the national and international stage that have only served to exacerbate our budget shortfall. Then the Biden Administration imposed a leasing moratorium on federal lands, further stifling our energy industry which provides the lion's share of our state budget. Wyoming stands to lose nearly $13 billion in tax revenue due to the Biden Ban on new oil and gas leasing and drilling on federal lands, with well over $700 million of those tax dollars going toward our kids' education. This is another hit to Wyoming's budget we simply cannot afford."

Another topic Senator Lummis gave her opinion on was how to bring back the unity of the Republican party and one step further, bring back unity to some degree to all parties-(Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, etc.)

"You know, in Washington our Wyoming delegation is very small, just John Barrasso and Liz Cheney and me, so we have to work together in order to accomplish things for our state," Lummis said. "I think it's important that Republicans and Democrats in Washington start doing that more–that's one reason I'm working with my Democrat colleague Krysten Sinema to found the Financial Innovation Caucus. Because digital assets aren't a partisan issue, and we want to keep them from becoming one. That would just hurt the American people instead of solving problems."

Lummis was also asked her thoughts on imposing a wind tax. 

"As a former state legislator, I know the frustration that comes when, you know, someone like me as a senator starts putting her thumb on the scales of a state issue," Lummis said. "So without getting into the nuances of the issue, I will say though that I am, as a general rule, opposed to tax increases and usually opposed to new taxes as well. I do support a level playing field for our energy resources that ensures that the market–and not government–is driving demand and prices."

King was glad to hear how quickly the senator got in contact with the Sun to answer the questions but she was not surprised. She worked with the senator when she was a congresswoman. King respects Lummis and said the senator will do her best for all her constituents.

"I have met with federal agencies, private citizens, local chambers and leaders and I think anytime you stop and visit, it gives a more in-depth view," King said. "Learning about history, you see what has been in the past, how it got you to the present and where you want to go in the future. There is a lot of culture and history in all these communities and Senator Lummis doesn't forget this."