1.
What distinguishes you from your opponents?
I served in the Legislature for 14 years and have spent 25
years as a small businessman. I’ve created good paying, high
quality jobs.
2.
What is the greatest challenge of public service?
You have to have the desire to do it. And that means
balancing the demands of good public service and family.
I’ve had to balance work, public life and family before.
It’s the toughest part of the job, but I will do it.
3.
What is the most important issue facing the State of
WY?
Jobs and Economic Development
My goal is to have high-quality, good paying jobs. And, of
course, women must be paid the same wage as men for the same
type of work.
I have a four-point plan for bringing more good paying, high
quality jobs to Wyoming:
-
Add value to
Wyoming’s
products, particularly minerals and energy
-
Retain and expand
Wyoming’s
core industries – agriculture, tourism and minerals
-
Improve
Wyoming’s
transportation infrastructure
As governor, I will work to retain and expand our core
industries – agriculture, tourism and minerals. I will work
to diversify the state’s economy. I will do all I can to
eliminate Wyoming’s famous boom-bust cycles. My economic
development plan will go a long way toward that.
Manufacturing, technology, distribution centers and other
high-skill industries that fit Wyoming’s way of life will
help our state broaden its horizons. I’ll show those
businesses how they can profit from a move to Wyoming.
Wyoming
must work to add value to agriculture, tourism and minerals.
Ninety percent of businesses in Wyoming are small and work
in areas that feed off those three industries.
Local leaders should initiate local economic development.
The state must ensure that local governments have the money
they need to participate and succeed. State government can
work to improve infrastructure, including airline, highway
and information transportation. Under a Bebout
administration, the Business Council will play a key role in
economic development. I will also remove bureaucratic
obstacles to success.
4.
What advice would you give someone thinking of running for
public office?
Running for governor is like building a house. It takes
dedication, perseverance, and a lot of teamwork. The
foundation of your campaign must first be built on passion,
integrity, and a fundamental belief in the good of public
service. You have to make sure you’re running for the right
reasons. You have to make sure you want to run for governor
so that you can make this state a better place to live and
work. Upon this foundation should be walls built of
experience and knowledge. I believe experience can only be
realized by jumping in with both feet. You need to get in
the ring, roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty.
You need to lead by your chin. That’s what being governor is
all about – helping the people who have entrusted you.
I challenge each of you to get involved now and learn about
this great state. Knowledge is powerful. It allows you to
objectively look at an issue and make the best decision
based on facts, not suggestion or special interest.
While experience and
knowledge form the supporting structures of your campaign,
only communication brings it together under one roof.
Running for governor takes commitment and a lot of legwork.
It takes getting out there and talking to the people of our
great state. My campaign is about people, and I would
encourage you to focus on the same. The people of
Wyoming know what they
need. They know how to improve our critical services like
education and health care, they know how to develop land for
multiple use, they know how to create jobs, and they know
how to make Wyoming a better place to live and work. I
believe the governor’s job is knowing how to work with these
people in order to turn their good ideas into reality.
Running for governor takes vision. It takes a vision that
is built on passion, integrity and public service;
experience and knowledge; and, most of all, communication.
It takes a vision that will move Wyoming forward to create
better jobs for the working women and men of Wyoming and
improve the quality of life for all citizens. Creating good
paying, high quality jobs will give our youth the reasons
they need to stay in Wyoming.
5.
What is your favorite political book?
I’ve enjoyed the many different biographies of Abraham
Lincoln. And I like Al Simpson’s book, Up the Old Kazoo.
6.
What was your favorite political TV program?
I like the Fox News Channel.
7.
How did you become involved in the (R) Party?
You’ve heard about a
legislator who started off as a Democrat. After a few
years, he realized that he was always voting with the
Republicans across the aisle. Their issues were his
issues. They thought the same things. And that politician
soon became a Republican and then went on to seek higher
office. You know who that politician was – his name was
Ronald Reagan.
8.
Who are your political mentors? What are some of your
favorite political quotes?
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Ronald Reagan and Vice
President Dick Cheney and U.S. Senator Al Simpson have
fought for what they believe in. Former governors Cliff
Hansen and Stan Hathaway have also done wonders for Wyoming.
I really admired my dad, Hugh Bebout, for being Mayor of
Hudson and my uncle, Red Sviler, for being Mayor of Shoshoni.
“If I were to try to read,
much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop
might as well be closed for any other business. I do the
very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to
keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all
right, what's said against me won't amount to anything. If
the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right
would make no difference.” – Abraham Lincoln
“The preeminence of
representative government [is maintained] by showing that
its foundations are laid in reason, in right, and in general
good.” – Thomas Jefferson
9. Will the U.S.
invade Iraq by December 2002? Should they invade?
Whatever President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick
Cheney decide I will support. That’s a decision that the
experts have to make. It depends on the information they
have. I truly believe that Saddam Hussein has Weapons Of
Mass Destruction and I believe he will use them. If the
experts feel like Saddam is going to use them, then we
should invade. I would have voted for the resolution that
the President requested from Congress.
10.
What will be your first order of business if elected Gov.?
After I thank my mother and wife for their faith, hard work
and dedication, I’m going to take up the bully pulpit and
seek more good paying, high quality jobs for Wyoming.
11.
What accomplishment are you most proud of during your
years in the State House?
I served in the Legislature for 14 years and my
accomplishments are many. Among them are building
Wyoming’s
water development program and helping to maintain services
to seniors and those in need. I have demonstrated a resolute
commitment to fiscal responsibility, smaller government and
individual freedoms. My dedication and leadership qualities
earned me the support of my fellow legislators and the
offices of Republican House Conference Chairman in 1995,
Majority Floor Leader in 1997 and Speaker of the House in
1999.
12.
What is your plan to provide first-rate healthcare in WY?
SEEKING SOLUTIONS TO THE HEALTH CARE COST CRISIS
American health care is the envy of the world, and yet today
there is a loud call for reform to make affordable health
care more available. Rising health care costs are a serious
problem for most families and businesses in Wyoming, and
will continue to be a driving force in the next legislature,
as our legislators grapple with the high cost of insurance
and other related issues.
As health care costs continue to spiral out of control, I
believe identifying the causes of the problem help us
develop solutions. Wyoming physicians are scrambling to find
affordable insurance as some insurance companies have ceased
malpractice coverage altogether, and others have increased
their rates by as much as 60 percent over the last 18
months.
Three hospitals in
Wyoming
no longer will deliver babies because of the lack of
coverage for high-risk specialties, such as obstetrics care.
Lawyers are finding their profession targeted because of
high litigation costs in the health care arena. Seniors and
families struggle with the high cost of prescription drugs
and services.
Hospital staffing shortages,
especially RNs, CNAs, lab and radiology techs) will continue
to escalate costs of care. Even though our community
colleges and the
University of Wyoming
are graduating nurses every year, many graduates leave the
state. For some time it has been difficult for rural areas
to attract physicians and that difficulty increases.
How do we begin to address all these healthcare issues?
There are no easy fixes, but as your next Governor, I will
be a leader in these solutions:
Wyoming
and other rural states do not get their fair share of
Medicare. The Governor must work with our Congressional
Delegation as a team to garner Wyoming’s fair share of these
federal dollars. Medicare payments to Wyoming hospitals are
15% lower than actual costs.
Wyoming
received $3,838 per beneficiary per year on average and we
rank 45th in the nation, while other states receive as much
as $7,000 per beneficiary. This kind of cost shifting is a
common practice in the health care field and the cost shift
to Wyoming from the federal government for Medicare needs to
be fixed. If I am elected governor, I will work to ensure
that reimbursements are equalized and costs are contained,
not shifted.
When compared to the region, health insurance costs in
Wyoming are high – 17% of Wyoming’s citizens are uninsured
and that number will continue to grow if more employers are
unable to provide health coverage for employees because of
rapidly rising cost of premiums. The Wyoming Insurance
Department reports that small group insurance premiums for
business rose by 10% in 1999, 17% in 2000 and 27% in 2001.
In 2002, costs are expected to mirror 2001. Some possible
alternatives could include employees having more control
over healthcare dollars; legislative approval allowing
groups to pool for insurance purposes, or having higher
deductibles and/or higher co-payments. Co-payments can be
used more creatively, as lower co-payments could encourage
prevention treatments over emergency room use, and
companies could also explore income-based co-payments.
Encourage more
Wyoming
students to get involved in health-care fields through
scholarships.
One of the best predictors of future health care costs is
age. As people age, they consume more health care services.
It has been predicted that senior citizens will make up the
largest percentage of Wyoming’s population by the year 2012,
and as our baby boomers hit the Medicare window, the
increased cost to the state’s health care system will be
significant. Even now, seniors may have several avenues to
obtain lower cost pharmaceuticals, but traversing the system
can be a problem. Educational and gatekeeper programs
initiated in Wyoming senior citizen centers could help. This
has proven to be a benefit in other states with a lower cost
to the system in terms of doctor and emergency room visits.
Improving laws in our state to provide effective health care
to children and good care for our seniors. The Wyoming
Legislature enacted laws that provide early intervention for
children and your – the laws stretch from early reading and
preschool programs to the substance abuse bill, which passed
last session. Intervention programs contribute to health
kids. The Wyoming Kid Care (CHIP) program is well funded,
and if another step is to be taken, it is to expand the
program to children whose families are at 185% - 200% of
poverty level. Healthier children make healthier adults, and
ultimately if we can keep people out of the healthcare
system, money will be saved.
System efficiencies and practices in the health care system
need to be examined. Paperwork and bureaucracy burdens the
entire system – for example Medicare administrative costs
have been estimated at 50-60% of the total cost – these are
dollars that could be used elsewhere. We need to ensure that
there is a free market system in
Wyoming
to provide incentive for insurance companies to do business
here.
Controlling health care costs and providing better access to
quality health care may seem difficult goals. But if I am
elected your next Governor, I will work to:
Equalize Medicare reimbursements
Work with the Wyoming Bar Association, physicians, insurance
companies and the Wyoming Legislature to enact tort reform
Continue to improve health care systems for our children and
seniors, and
Good health care affects every one of us, and we cannot
afford to hide behind its complexity. It is time to make it
a priority and work together to find solutions.
13.
How will you improve education in WY?
I support education because it stands for progress. Listen
to these words from Lee Iacocca, former Chairman of
Chrysler: “the best of us would aspire to be teachers and
the rest of us would have to settle for something less,
because passing civilization along from one generation to
the next ought to be the highest honor.”
While growing up in Shoshoni, our teachers challenged us to
work hard and achieve the American dream. They knew the
value of a good education, just as our teachers in Wyoming
do today. Lorraine and I are grateful for the teachers
who’ve done so much for our children.
My position on K-12 education in Wyoming is clear:
Our teachers deserve to be paid well.
Wyoming ranks fifth in our region in salaries. The starting
pay for teachers last year averaged $25,000. A teacher with
ten years experience may make $35,000. Teachers need to
receive their fair share of the large increases in K-12
funding. Research supports what we all know in our hearts:
a high quality teacher is more important than anything else
for a child’s education.
Give Teachers the Training to be Even Better.
Education advancement and pay are tied to post-graduate work
. . . yet for many teachers in rural
Wyoming, that’s a nearly impossible task because of
distance, time and cost. Why not ask service clubs across
Wyoming
to grant matching dollar for dollar scholarships for
teachers to take courses during the summer in their teaching
field. I propose both teacher mentoring programs and forums
at the state level to share best practices for teachers to
support one another. And I will work to reduce the paperwork
and let teachers do what they do best – teach.
Strive for Excellence.
When businesses set goals, they can measure progress. Our
education system in Wyoming should be the very best in the
Rocky Mountain Region, second to none in terms of, and
measured by:
Education Support.
Education spending is the largest budget item for state and
local government. Wyoming spends over $8,000 per pupil for
K-12 education - - third highest in the nation. Our per
capita rate of $2,015 is second highest in the nation. Our
per pupil teacher ratios rank sixth in the nation. These
numbers demonstrate our clear value of K-12, community
college and UW educators.
Give Credit for Accomplishments.
Much improvement has taken place over the past ten years.
Since the 1995 Wyoming Supreme Court ruling on education,
Wyoming has developed content standards, implemented
America’s first approved statewide testing/assessment tied
to standards, been one of the first to develop a
comprehensive school report card to parents and became one
of the first states to connect all schools to the internet.
Adjustments to the MAPP model regarding small schools versus
larger schools is ongoing and vital.
My fourteen year legislative voting record for education is
positive and clear: Support improvements whenever possible.
I am proud our legislature has increased school year funding
for K-12 education above the 1995-96 school year without
raising taxes. Spending for the University of Wyoming has
increased, including my recommendation as Speaker of the
House to support an additional $20 million more for the
University to move it forward to serve the State. I am proud
of the strong community college system, which provides so
much to communities. Higher education as a whole has
received a 55.3% increase in state funds in the last ten
years. Wyoming has a right to be proud of this, so am I. I
support the effort of the Legislature to improve our
vocational education system, which readies our people for
the jobs of tomorrow.
Wyomingites value education and my record of support is
clear and consistent. We have a duty to support a quality
education system that gives our children the skills to
succeed in a vibrant
Wyoming
economy. A strong diversified economy that will support the
best education system in the country.
14.
How will you increase economic development and job
creation throughout WY?
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
We have lived through too many economic peaks and valleys.
We have seen too many of our children and talented workers
leave Wyoming because of no jobs, or low paying jobs with no
benefits. I want to change that.
August marked the 22nd consecutive month where our state’s
job growth was higher than the nation’s. Although we had
job growth last year, 44% of the new jobs were created in
Campbell
County mainly due to the coal bed methane boom. These good
paying jobs are welcomed, but we must have job growth with
high paying jobs in other sectors in order minimize economic
peaks and valleys.
Here is my ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN - - an
aggressive and necessary effort to maintain our high quality
of life.
Growth in existing businesses and industry
– most new job growth occurs with existing businesses –
agriculture, tourism and mining. We must be sure that our
Wyoming businesses have the right tools and skills to
succeed.
Marketing and recruiting
– Wyoming was rated the 3rd best state for small business
and entrepreneurship in The Small Business Survival Index
2002. New businesses bring new energy and momentum, and
jobs, and we need to actively recruit these new partners to
be a part of our future.
Targeted Growth Areas
– The latest Wyoming TRENDS publication clearly shows that
we can strengthen our economy by diversifying and growing
targeted sectors of our economy that traditionally have
higher wages. I agree with the report when it encourages
growth in not only mining, but in “attracting manufacturing
and/or high-wage services firms into
Wyoming.”
Manufacturing and high-tech jobs will provide the
diversification we seek.
Workforce Training
– I will continue to fully support our current Workforce
Training Program, which helps create a quality labor pool
for new and existing businesses.
Value-Added Initiatives
– We are the BTU Capitol of the
Western Hemisphere.
We should also aim to be the BTU “Value-Added”
Capitol. I propose the development of a world class Energy
Research Center, a private-public partnership,
utilizing our post secondary education system. When the
U.S. Dept. of Energy funds research for clean coal-fired
power plants, as they are currently doing, some if not most
of the money should go to a research center in Wyoming
because we are the #1 coal producing state in the nation.
Investment-Ready Communities
– I support matching challenge grants to help our
communities with business parks, telecommunications, key
infrastructure, and trained leadership to prosper and grow.
I also believe in re-starting the Wyoming Main Street
Program for communities so that they can develop and
maintain strong downtowns, the true first and lasting
impressions of a community’s vitality.
Venture Capital
– Private capital is crucial to the growth of an economy. I
believe we need it, and especially capital for business
expansions, in order to create momentum for our economy.
Tourism
– Our second largest employer in the state is important to
our future, and we must provide enough marketing and
promotional funds so that travelers know we are a great
option to consider in their vacation planning.
Wyoming
Business Council –
I will continue to support it! – Eight years ago no
one would have dared hope for the successes demonstrated by
the WBC. It is organized on good business principles and
collaborative partnerships. I am proud to have been the
Majority Floor Leader of the Wyoming House of
Representatives when this legislation was passed. Now that
the Business Council has proven itself, it’s time to give
them more support.
Wyoming
today has one of the lowest economic development budgets of
all the states - - less than 1% of our budget. We spend $13
yearly for every man, woman and child for economic
development whereas pacesetters like Virginia and Illinois
spend $104 and $113 respectfully. I believe that more money
should be spent on economic development and we can do this
without raising taxes. It can be done by committing $1 out
of every $4 from a newly created surplus account to move my
economic development plan forward.
I believe we must have new job creation, better paying jobs,
a younger workforce, and people with families . . .because
these are the keys to maintaining good hospitals, school
populations, local shopping downtown and overall business
vitality. Only by investing in ourselves do we invest in
our future.
15.
Family seems to be very important to you. During your 14
years of service in the State House you were away from
your family a lot. If elected Gov., how will you balance
family life and serving the people of WY?
I plan on having my family involved. When I can travel with
them and be with them, I will. I’m a person who knows how to
manage people and I’ve balanced my family, business and
public service lives before. I’m a Christian first, then a
father and husband then a public servant.
Eli
Bebout
Interview:
Eli Bebout (R) for
Gov. for
the State of
Wyoming