Restore Women’s Reproductive Freedom
The US Supreme Court and Wyoming’s far right have now put government in charge of women’s reproduction decisions. Wyoming's big government law means doctors will no longer be able to safely perform an abortion even in the case of rape, incest or if a woman’s life is threatened without risking arrest and 14 years in jail. I will strongly advocate to restore women’s right to privacy and the freedom to access medically accurate information and services, including abortion, so that Wyoming women and girls, not its politicians, have the right to control their own destiny.
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I am the only candidate for House District 23 who clearly states that:
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I support abortion rights as codified in the US Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision
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I support allowing people to use emergency contraception
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I oppose efforts to ban medication abortions
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I oppose placing additional restrictions on the ability to obtain contraceptives
Conservation
Wyoming’s greatest assets are its large landscapes, abundant wildlife, high recreational values and outdoor vistas. People come from all over the world to experience Wyoming’s natural beauty. Maintaining Teton County’s natural assets requires conservation of surrounding resources, preserving winter ranges and migration corridors and protecting the vast and diverse wildlife species that roam our land. Wyoming can do a better job of permanently protecting these unique natural assets and mitigating the impacts of climate change. (photo: Joe Riis)
Investing Wyoming’s Permanent Funds for Better Returns
Wyoming is fortunate that previous state leadership had the vision to create a permanent fund from one-time fossil fuel revenues. This has resulted in a corpus of over $29B. However, the state’s earnings have underperformed, largely due to parochial and antiquated approaches to investment management. Liz’s experience overseeing the management of a foundation endowment provides her with excellent understanding and proven strategies of how the state can increase its returns, while at the same time, keep taxes low for everyone.
Tax Policy
Wyoming’s tax base is narrow, lopsided, and unsustainable. It relies chiefly on sales and property taxes. This adds to Teton County’s inequities by creating a low tax environment for wealthy people, and a high tax environment for low- and middle-income families. As your representative, Liz will work with colleagues to develop a modern, long-term tax policy that can see the state through the energy transition and create a broad, equitable and reliable tax base into the future.
State Trust Land Management
In order to replace diminishing revenues from fossil fuels, legislators have targeted state lands in Teton County for development, the most recent example being the state’s approval of 800 self-storage units along Highway 390/the Village Road under a “temporary use permit” that dodges local zoning regulations. It does very little to address the long-term issues facing school funding. There are better ways to raise revenues that also protect conservation and wildlife values on state trust lands.
Investing in Our Communities
Many of Wyoming’s small communities across the state have great outdoor amenities but lack a built environment to attract new businesses. Creating better transportation options, expanding high speed broadband connectivity, and adding amenities like trails and pathways will make Wyoming communities outside of Teton County more livable, attract new investment and diversify our state's economic base.
Water Quality
In Teton County, groundwater is the sole source for our drinking water. Lax standards and enforcement of septic systems throughout our valley have resulted in nutrient and microbial contamination of our groundwater. Interaction between groundwater and surface waters allows nutrients to pollute our streams and rivers, threatening human health, animals and fisheries. As a headwaters community of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, our water resources deserve the best protection — equal to the value they provide our community. Updating regulations at the local and state level, and implementing state and local financing programs to assist homeowners in upgrading septic systems are just some of the ways we can clean up our water.
"Liz will be a fully informed and effective addition to our current outstanding state legislative delegation as she has maintained relationships with many legislators throughout the years”.
Pete Jorgensen (D)
former Teton County state representative and UW Trustee
