As the minerals boom turned to bust, so did the revenue supporting big government in Wyoming. Now our politicians have a choice. Should they: cut spending back to a level Wyoming taxpayers can afford;use revenues hoarded in savings accounts to continue spending at ever higher levels until savings run out, or;give money to private companies to magic...

The opponents of the Transfer of Public Lands (TPL) from the federal government to the states use several arguments against the proposal. Two of them are: The states can't manage their public lands.The states will sell off the public lands for development. Really? Tell that to Adirondack Park in upstate New York. Adirondack Park was set up by the N...

Wyoming Voters Say Individuals Make Better Spending Decisions than Government Introduction The Wyoming government depends overwhelmingly on the minerals industry to fund its activities. The minerals industry, however, is a source of cyclical revenue; when revenues rise, so does government spending and hording. When revenues fall, politicians look t...

by Charles Katebi Contrary to the claim of Obamacare's supporters, patients have too much access to healthcare. When insurers cover most of our bills, we're encouraged to take every test and procedure our doctors recommend, regardless of their value. Obamacare has made this problem even worse by banning out-of-pocket fees for many services. The pus...

The Wyoming Business Council (WBC) enables a number of programs that funnel tax dollars to private companies. When the WBC asked the State Loan and Investment Board for a $1.35 million grant for a Wyoming town to benefit a private company, McGinley Orthopaedic Innovations, the Board rubber stamped it, as expected. This is but one example of a corpo...

Governments everywhere favor some companies over others by showering them with other people's money. In Wyoming, the constitution forbids legislators from giving tax dollars away directly, but this hasn't stopped indirect giveaways. One giveaway is called Public Purpose Investment, or PPI. Although sold on the basis of its supposed benefits, these ...

by Wyoming Liberty Staff Our founding Fathers understood the importance of an independent executive branch of government. The Cheyenne City Council however, is preparing to ask citizens to vote on a City Charter amendment that would create an appointed administrator to replace the independent, strong mayor for most executive functions. The appointe...

by Tom Rose During my research into non-judicial approaches to promoting good juvenile behavior, I discovered a tool which is currently very popular nationwide. Is this an appropriate tool in Wyoming? The findings are mixed and I'll share what I found on both sides of the issue. The tool is a behavioral contract and it is being used in schools and ...

by Charles Katebi When we walk into a hospital, we have access to a cornucopia of different tests, procedures, and specialists. What we will hardly ever see is how much all of this costs. When insurers pay most of the bill, patients have no incentive to find the best deal, and hospitals are more than happy to keep their cost hidden. Now a revolutio...

by Tom Rose As we have been exploring together in recent weeks, the proposed decriminalization of status offenses in Wyoming will be positive change for our juvenile justice system. This needed change will also leave several problem behaviors in justice limbo. From truancy to tobacco and alcohol consumption the status offense behaviors are dangerou...