The State Loan and Investment Board distributes state funds throughout Wyoming. It came up during the Republican primary debate for Secretary of State last night. And it brought some sharp words.
The question was whether the board was doing enough for small Wyoming communities far from Cheyenne.
Ed Buchanan said yes, funds were being distributed evenly, while Clark Stith suggested the board would benefit from a candidate hailing from Western Wyoming
Pete Illoway said Skype or other long distance communication services should be made available for people in places like Jackson, so they don't have to drive to Cheyenne to pitch their ideas.
But Ed Murray took his answer as an opportunity to distance himself from the other candidates, and to challenge Buchanan.
“And as a common theme from each town and county and city is that they have been starved,” Murray said. “They have been strangled.
Buchanan shot back in his rebuttal.
“Just briefly I think Mr. Murray is the only candidate up here that doesn’t have a command of his facts.”
Buchanan said the real challenge around local investment is dealing with the state’s boom and bust economy.