Commission candidates make their cases

Posted 8/11/16

Among the five candidates — Jake Fulkerson, Richard George, incumbent Lee Livingston, Bob Ruckman and Boone Tidwell — only the top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s Republican primary election will advance to November’s general …

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Commission candidates make their cases

Posted

At forums in Powell and Cody over the past week, the five Republican candidates for the Park County Commission made different cases for why they’re the best choice for two available seats.

Among the five candidates — Jake Fulkerson, Richard George, incumbent Lee Livingston, Bob Ruckman and Boone Tidwell — only the top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s Republican primary election will advance to November’s general election.

They’ll be unopposed on the general election ballot, barring an independent or Democratic challenger emerging.

The Park County Republican Women hosted a Thursday, Aug. 4, forum at the Cody Theatre for the GOP commission candidates and another on Tuesday at Northwest College. This article includes excerpts from both events.

All of the candidates attended the Cody forum, while Livingston missed Powell’s because of a trip with his Wapiti-based outfitting business.

Livingston — who’s seeking a second four-year term on the commission — pitched his experience.

“I have the same qualifications that my fellow candidates did four years ago, when I sought this office: a desire to be part of the community and help the community and a passion for local government. All of us have that,” Livingston said.

What distinguishes him, he said, is four years of going through and cutting Park County’s budget as a commissioner.

“We are going through some tough times and I believe that that experience that I bring to the table will make me a great choice to continue being a Park County commissioner,” he said.

Fulkerson, meanwhile, said he’s a fiscal conservative who’s gained valuable knowledge and leadership skills during eight years on the Cody school board, among other experience.

“I feel I can really be helpful in these trying budget times,” the Cody appraiser said, adding, “I think my community involvement demonstrates a love of Park County and a love of your community.”

Fulkerson said the county is “fairly well run.” Beyond wanting to improve the commissioners’ “collaboration” with the county’s outlying cities and towns, he said he doesn’t have an agenda.

George, 33, cited his youth as an asset. He said that — because he has more years of his life still ahead of him — he has more at stake in making the right decisions.

“If you live as long as I do, you’re going to love the decisions that we’re part of,” he pledged.

George farms more than 900 acres between Cody and Powell. He holds elected positions within the Park County and Wyoming Republican parties.

“I don’t have a resume that is extremely long, but I have a life history that is proven conservative,” he said.

Tidwell, a South Fork resident, said his knowledge of the state and U.S. constitutions would make him the rare official who would understand his oath of office and role as an elected representative.

He described the county’s top priorities as roads and bridges, law enforcement and the court system; he said his decades of experience as a California sheriff’s deputy and now as a bail bondsman applies to the latter two areas.

“I bring something to the county that is sorely lacking right now; that is judicial expertise,” he said.

Ruckman, of Powell, pitched a “broad range of skills” that he’s acquired over years of work in industries that have ranged from oil and gas to agriculture to a career as a professional in the banking industry and in consulting. His background in information technology, process improvement and disaster preparedness are also unique, he said.

“One of the things I learned in the consulting business is how to facilitate and right now I believe there needs to be a lot of facilitating between Powell and Cody on the county commission,” Ruckman said, saying Powell people feel disenfranchised.

Getting people involved

As for getting more people involved in county business, Ruckman suggested the commission look into making it possible for the public to attend its meetings via teleconference at Northwest College or at a city hall. He said that could be done at a low cost.

Fulkerson also liked that idea, saying the Cody school district had success with making live and archived videos of its meetings, and suggested using an email notification list.

Tidwell said the community needs to have the necessary information and said the commission should hold weekly meetings with taxpayers.

“I think there’s a complete lack of transparency in government,” he said.

George suggested meeting in communities like Clark, Meeteetse and Powell that sometimes feel left out.

“How hard could it be?” George said, adding, “This is a job of service. I mean, the county commissioners get paid $39,500 (actually $36,174.50) a year. Do you think that any of these guys, when they work three full days out of the month and then go to additional meetings, don’t make enough money from this job to actually go and participate in their community or donate some back, or find a way to be active? Come on.”

Livingston wasn’t present when George made those remarks, but he said at last week’s forum that, with the way state law is written, holding official county meetings outside of the county seat is “extremely problematic.”

As for boosting public involvement, “I don’t know how you do it other than having the information out there,” he said.

Livingston noted that people do attend meetings if they’re interested in the topic.

Experience with commission meetings/officials

The candidates have had varying degrees of experience with commission meetings and county officials.

Livingston has attended all or most of 34 of the commission’s 38 meetings over the past year, county minutes indicate.

Fulkerson and George have both attended a number of meetings this year; Fulkerson said he’s also met individually with all but one of the elected officials.

Ruckman said he hadn’t attended any commission meetings — noting that a 2014 automobile crash severely limited his travel until recently — but said he’s spoken with most of the county’s officials and department heads.

Tidwell said his job as a bondsman involves contact with the county’s sheriff, attorney and judges, but said he hasn’t attended any meetings.

“My preference personally is to walk into a door with kind of a blank brain and a lot of personal aspiration without having a preconceived notion about how things are supposed to operate,” he said.

1 cent tax

None of the five candidates gave the proposed 1 cent specific purpose sales tax their clear endorsement, while two were opposed.

Livingston said he’s purposely remained neutral.

“I don’t believe it’s my job to go out there and ask you for a 1 cent sales tax; it’s almost like asking for a raise,” he said. Livingston said he “definitely” understood why voters rejected a proposed general purpose 1 cent tax in 2012, though he said there are projects included in the new $13.68 million specific purpose tax that will never get done without the tax.

Fulkerson said he was glad the tax appears to be headed to November’s general election for voters to decide.

“One thing I would never do as a commissioner is not vote to put it on the ballot,” he said. “The people have to have the right to vote it up or down.”

Tidwell faulted local governments for being “opaque” about what they would do with the money, but said the decision should rest with the public.

“I hate taxes. I think taxation is theft,” Tidwell said. “But the real question is, what do you want?”

George and Ruckman, meanwhile, expressed absolute opposition to the proposed tax.

“I don’t see the great needs,” George said. If there are needs, “why haven’t we done a dang thing about it” over the years, he asked.

George also said the tax would have a “huge” impact on farmers like himself, who are already facing high expenses, and said it would be better for local governments to find collaborative ways to save money.

As for Ruckman, “There’s no adjective to describe how much I’m opposed to it,” he said. “You cannot tax yourself into prosperity.”

Ruckman said the tax is regressive and takes money out of people’s pockets.

“I think we can come up with a lot of great solutions to get us through this so we don’t have to have an additional 1 cent sales tax,” Ruckman said.

Marijuana legalization

Though the decision would rest with legislators and not commissioners, Tidwell and Ruckman each indicated they would support legalizing marijuana for both medical and recreational use.

“Prohibition is an absolute failure,” said Tidwell. “It lacks constitutional authority and it creates the black market.”

Ruckman said state lawmakers should “absolutely” make marijuana available for medical purposes, saying it can be more effective than painkillers.

As for recreational use, “Why are we making criminals out of people?” Ruckman asked, saying the country can’t afford to imprison people for small amounts of marijuana.

“Let’s grow it, let’s tax it and make a revenue stream,” Ruckman said, calling the War on Drugs an expensive failure.

Meanwhile, Fulkerson, George and Livingston all indicated some level of willingness to legalize marijuana for medical purposes, but were less open to recreational marijuana.

“We don’t need another gateway drug in addition to alcohol,” said Fulkerson, who described himself as “absolutely opposed” to recreational use.

Offered George, “Our society, I don’t think, is going to thrive if we have a bunch of potheads running around.”

Livingston said he wants to see what happens in states that legalize the drug.

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