Representative McKay Erickson (R-Afton) stepped into the SVI Radio studio to give his thoughts on the upcoming legislative session.

(0:00) Weekday wake up on SVI Radio, SWIFT 98 and The Spur, (0:03) heading into another guest interview segment this morning (0:05) and a legislative preview with Representative McKay Erickson (0:09) out of Star Valley area. (0:11) Representative, appreciate your time today (0:12) and boy, a big session coming up, (0:15) a budget session for you this year (0:16) and a lot we can talk about. (0:18) I think, of course, with your background (0:19) and education for your career (0:20) and what you do on that committee, (0:22) we probably start with recalibration.
(0:24) That’s been such a huge topic of discussion across the state. (0:27) First, give us kind of your 10,000-foot view (0:29) on where recalibration is, (0:32) some of the recent changes made to it (0:33) and where it’s going. (0:34) You bet, Duke.
(0:35) Thanks for having me in, I appreciate it. (0:37) I always look forward to visiting with you (0:40) and then the feedback that it causes that I get (0:44) in order to get the word out to people (0:46) and get them aware of what’s happening. (0:49) But yeah, you’re right, (0:50) the recalibration is a huge issue coming up (0:54) and just to give you a little bit of background on it, (0:57) the recalibration process is all about (1:03) going back and looking every five years, two years, (1:07) whatever it may be as it’s set, (1:09) to make sure that education is meeting the demands (1:13) and the basket of goods, if you will, (1:16) as to what we’re putting forth as far as a product goes.
(1:20) And recalibration, by the way, (1:23) has not actually passed since 2012 (1:26) and so there’s plenty of people (1:28) with other educational issues on a lot of people’s mind. (1:32) The recalibration idea is at the forefront (1:36) in the idea that we need to make sure (1:39) that we’re coming close (1:41) because in a lot of people’s opinion, including mine, (1:44) we’re kind of drifting away from that (1:46) just because we haven’t went back and set that. (1:49) As well as you know, as well as I know, (1:52) the big deal with the court cases (1:55) that have not ruled in favor of us as the legislative branch (2:00) and we’re not meeting the requirements (2:04) that the Wyoming Constitution spells out very clearly (2:08) and so because of those rulings (2:10) as well as some anticipated rulings, (2:13) we need to get some of this done and make it happen.
(2:17) So what they basically did is got the recalibration going, (2:21) the committee, and they’ve come up with a bill, (2:25) it was just set last Friday, (2:27) that will go to the House of Representatives and the Senate (2:30) and then if it passes there, on to the governor. (2:34) So we’re attempting to do that (2:37) and I guess we need to put it lightly, (2:41) not criticizing their efforts and their work, (2:43) but I think it definitely fell short (2:46) of what we were hoping for (2:48) and what given us an opportunity (2:54) to really work with the education professionals. (2:58) It falls short in a considerable amount of areas (3:02) that we’ve been concerned about (3:06) and that is teacher retention.
(3:08) We’ve got to be able to get people to the state of Wyoming, (3:12) we’re not putting out enough people in education in Wyoming (3:16) to fill the needs across the state (3:19) and we know that cost of living as well as other factors (3:23) prohibit us from sometimes getting the people that we want (3:28) or it’s really leaning that way. (3:31) We’ve been very fortunate to be able to get them (3:33) but we know that that’s a deficient area (3:36) and a difficult area to recruit those individuals there (3:40) and so I believe that in some of the criticism (3:46) and we can get into all of the different factors (3:50) but some of the major areas is it takes away (3:54) a considerable amount of the local control (3:57) and the things that individual districts can do (4:00) and should be doing in order to have their schools (4:03) responsive to the school board (4:06) instead of to a large central committee at the state (4:09) and so that’s my biggest concern (4:13) is the local control there (4:15) but for example, some specifics, (4:20) it requires that we all go on (4:23) and when I say we, (4:25) it state of Wyoming insurance program (4:28) that we all join that as districts (4:32) and that’s very much a concern. (4:35) There’s only one in the state right now (4:37) that is part of this state healthcare program (4:41) and they did it because they had to (4:43) because their program got upside down (4:45) but the others have chosen not to go (4:48) with the state program (4:50) and so that brings up a big, (4:53) turns on a red light for me (4:55) in saying we better take a look at this (4:58) and why would we go to something (5:00) that we haven’t had much success at? (5:03) So those are it and just the retention (5:07) and keeping and the salary, (5:10) steps and lanes go away and things like that (5:13) so it’s a weighted average is what it goes to (5:17) and like I said, we could go on and on (5:19) but we’re gonna be really working hard (5:23) to amend that, (5:27) try to defeat some of those proposals (5:29) and it’s very important (5:32) that people in the education community (5:34) and parents alike get involved with this (5:36) and find out the particulars (5:38) and it’s easy to find them (5:41) and to express concern as to what’s happening there (5:45) because we’ll be listening, we do.
(5:47) Representative McKay Erickson in studio (5:49) so when it comes to this recalibration, (5:50) obviously it’ll come up on the House floor (5:52) and then the Senate as you mentioned (5:54) and I am just from the outside looking in (5:58) anticipating this to be a discussion (6:01) that will be had in both chambers (6:03) almost throughout the entire session. (6:04) Would you assume that’s probably the case as well? (6:06) You bet it will. (6:08) There’s some other deadlines as to when we have it (6:11) but where it’s not specifically a budget related (6:17) and doesn’t fall into that category, (6:19) it can be scattered throughout the entire (6:23) part of the session there (6:24) and I mean, people ask, where’s it going? (6:28) The governor has already expressed (6:30) that if it passes the way it comes out of (6:34) or the way it came out last week (6:37) that he’s not in favor of it (6:39) and you’re looking at the long game.
(6:43) Some are already planning that well, (6:45) that we’ll bring it back if the governor vetoes it, (6:48) we’ll bring it back into the House and Senate (6:50) and we need a two-thirds vote to be able to (6:54) overturn the veto and from my numbers (6:58) as well as others, we don’t have that. (7:01) We don’t have the two-thirds (7:02) and I will not be voting to overturn the veto. (7:10) Representative McKay Erickson (7:11) with the legislative preview this morning (7:12) on the weekday wake up, (7:14) what other priorities do you have (7:15) heading into the session this year? (7:17) Well, I have a whole list here (7:20) and I can see Duke that he’s looking over my shoulder (7:23) like, oh, you have 10 there (7:25) but no, I’ve just had a real good opportunity (7:28) to meet with a ton of folks (7:31) in what I think is the exact responsibility of myself (7:36) and that is to meet with all stakeholders, (7:39) all people that have to do with the state of Wyoming (7:42) and making it better (7:44) and I’ve kind of chiseled out a few in specifics (7:49) but of course, continue to work (7:52) with the property tax proposal.
(7:54) There’s more there, you’ve probably heard (7:57) there’s a lot of talk around the initiative (8:02) that is coming up next year (8:04) which is a 50% cut off of property taxes (8:07) and what we would do from there (8:09) so there’s other structures that are there. (8:11) I would prefer to work with the things (8:14) that we’ve passed in the last two years, (8:16) let those play out and let us see. (8:18) I’ve received a lot of feedback, (8:20) that’s definitely helping (8:22) and look at making some concessions (8:27) on getting some reprieve (8:33) for the resident average homeowner.
(8:37) That’s what I’m all about, (8:39) that’s most of my folks here in Star Valley (8:42) and that’s what I’m looking. (8:44) So going back to the original cost of the home (8:47) as to what you pay the property tax on, (8:51) I do not want to give these very wealthy individuals (8:56) that are coming in with a third and fourth home a tax cut (8:59) and that would be what we would do (9:01) if we take away from the property tax (9:04) and I know where those property tax dollars are spent, (9:07) it’s in our communities, it’s in our firefighters, (9:10) it’s in our schools, it’s in all the things (9:12) that make our communities and towns as good as they are (9:16) so I’m concerned with that (9:19) but we’ll be working with a lot of different groups (9:22) on something like that (9:24) and we’ll have to see what comes out. (9:26) As maybe I mentioned, I think as of this morning I checked (9:30) and there’s 600 bills that have already hit the press (9:35) so to speak and are to the LSO (9:38) and are ready for numbering or are already numbered (9:41) and are out so plenty.
(9:43) We only got through 150 last year in double the time (9:47) so do your own math. (9:49) And as you were mentioning, it is a budget session (9:51) and so that’s going to make things (9:52) even more difficult with that, right? (9:54) It is, we have to right off the bat, we have to vote. (9:57) It has to be a two thirds majority (9:59) to even consider a non-budget bill.
(10:03) So a lot of those will be easy to kill, excuse me, (10:08) but many of them will be up for consideration (10:13) and we’ll have to see how that goes (10:15) but no doubt about it, we’re going to run out of time. (10:19) That’s all there is to it. (10:20) We don’t have the time to get through that.
(10:23) Representative, what else do you have (10:24) on your list of priorities? (10:26) Well, I’ll go quickly. (10:27) We talked about education. (10:28) Education is a big one.
(10:32) There’s no doubt about it. (10:33) It’s going to take up a lot of the conversation there (10:36) and a lot of the negotiation. (10:39) I also am getting behind and one of the co-sponsors (10:44) in some of the movements that we’ve seen (10:47) towards looking at the highway patrol.
(10:51) There’s no doubt about it. (10:53) It is almost embarrassing that we have (10:56) such a poor recruitment ability (11:00) for our best and our brightest (11:02) in our law enforcement along the lines (11:06) but specifically we’re targeting the highway patrol (11:09) and seeing the big needs that they have (11:14) as far as wages, as far as benefits, (11:18) as far as just work environment. (11:21) There’s no doubt about it.
(11:22) We’ve fallen and we fell short on that (11:25) and so I’ll be pushing hard for that. (11:28) Also, and even though this is not related, (11:31) there’s a lot of things coming (11:33) with this feed ground management (11:36) and the plan is supposed to hit Jackson in any day now (11:41) and they’ve been saying that for a long time (11:43) but we have some big concerns as to the movement (11:48) that is going towards eliminating feed grounds (11:50) or lowering herd objectives and things like that. (11:54) So the fishing game is always going to be in our sights (12:00) and some of the things that they’re doing obviously great (12:04) but also are they headed in the direction (12:08) that the average sportsman wants to go (12:11) and that’s always been a concern of mine there.
(12:14) So those are kind of the priorities if you will (12:18) and moving towards those (12:23) is taking up a considerable amount of time (12:27) and I don’t want to just vanilla it down. (12:30) I want to really go hard in areas (12:33) that I really think will benefit the people of Star Valley (12:36) and luckily I’ve been able to do that so far (12:39) with not being tied or held back (12:46) by having all of my loyalties in a caucus (12:50) or in a political action group. (12:53) So hopefully that works out good for us.
(12:57) Representative McKay Erickson on the weekday wake up (12:59) with a legislative preview. (13:00) Representative as always appreciate your updates (13:02) and of course we’ll hear from you (13:03) throughout the session as well. (13:04) You bet, thank you Duke.
(13:05) It’s all part of the weekday wake up this morning (13:07) on SVI Radio.