CASPER, Wyo. — Election season is underway and Oil City News has sent a list of questions to each candidate seeking office in Natrona County who has filed to run in the primary election in August.
These questions are designed to give our readers a better understanding of the people behind the names on the ballot. Below, get to know Dallas Laird, who is running for a four-year seat on the Natrona County Commission:
1. Who are you? (name, where you’re from, employment, hobbies, etc.)
I am Dallas Laird. I was born and raised in Casper, WY. I have lived in Wyoming my whole life. I am a Wyoming attorney and have been in business for 50 years. I coached junior hockey for over 15 years and baseball for five. I like to golf, walk my dog, and play my drums.
2. Why have you decide to run for office and what do you hope to accomplish should you be elected?
I decided to run for Natrona County Commissioner because our people need a voice to stand up for them and stop the outrageous property assessments and resulting high taxes. When the current commissioners said, “there’s nothing we can do”, I filed to run for the office.
I will follow the Wyoming taxpayer remedy statute to the letter. The people will get a fair hearing for their protests! I will listen to the people.
3. How do you plan on accomplishing your goals?
Apply the law in favor of the taxpayers. Reduce taxes. Letting the people’s voices be heard loud and clear!
4. What experience do you have that qualifies you for the office you are seeking?
- Standing up for the people for the past 50 years as a people’s lawyer.
- I was appointed by previous commissioners to be on the Natrona County Airport Board and the Wyoming Medical Center Board. I understand the issues.
- I was on the Casper City Council where I dealt with a budget three times the size of the county budget. During my time as city councilperson, we brought school safety to the forefront by adding officers and equipment to the schools. We reformed the municipal court and the city attorney’s office. We hired the current city manager who balanced the budget and is doing a great job for Casper.
- I was a lecturer at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy for 20 years.
- I am totally qualified and ready to go.
5. Do you feel you could be a good steward with taxpayer dollars? Why or why not?
Absolutely! I proved this when I was on the city council. I demanded the city’s budget be balanced. This was accomplished almost immediately. I voted against unreasonable expenditures and no new taxes! I will do the same for Natrona County.
6. On the issue of transparency, where do you stand on ensuring all public business is conducted openly and in a manner that encourages public attendance?
Commissioners must be totally transparent! All public business should always be conducted openly. The public should be treated with courtesy and respect, and at all times be told the absolute truth. The public has to be listened to and respected!
7. Do you believe the office or board position you seek has been open and honest with the public? If yes, how can the entity remain open and transparent when conducting public business moving forward. If no, what changes would you implement to ensure that all future dealings are open and transparent?
On some matters the commissioners are not open and don’t provide full information. The sale of our hospital is a prime example. I am finding that the public is angry and do not understand why the hospital was sold. A $450 million dollar hospital was sold for half of its true value. The commissioners have never explained why they sold it so fast and so cheap.
There should be a resolution that timely notice and all information is given to the public prior to action.
My question is this: why won’t the commissioners do anything to stop or at least slow down the out-of-control assessor?
8. If you are presiding over a meeting and a topic was being discussed that you didn’t fully understand, would you ask for a more detailed explanation during the meeting or would you seek the information after the meeting?
I will ask for more detailed information during the meeting and will seek more information after the meeting, if needed. No action will be taken by me unless I fully understand the issues and the commissioners’ authority to resolve the issue.
9. Should you be elected, or re-elected, do you plan on seeking any major policy changes in your chosen office? If yes, what would those changes be? If no, why not?
I will fully and completely protect the citizens of the county from unfair government taxes and any other harmful conduct toward our people. The people must be treated fairly. The county employees, who are citizens, must be treated fairly and with respect.
All county officials and employees will treat our citizens fairly!
10. Is there anything the above questions didn’t ask that you would like to comment on?
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NOTE: All primary candidates who filed to run for the Casper City Council were sent questionnaires at the same time and Oil City News will publish responses in the order they are received. Candidate responses are only edited for clarity and style.
If you are a candidate and did not see the questionnaire in your inbox, please email news@oilcity.news. Oil City News sent questionnaires to Natrona County candidates running in the primary for municipal, county office or a seat in the Wyoming Legislature based on email addresses shared by the Natrona County Clerk’s Office; if you would prefer the questionnaire sent to a different address, please let us know.
