Applegate Runs For Commission

Jim Applegate, a Cheyenne attorney and former state senator, has announced his candidacy as a Democrat for one of the four-year seats on the Laramie County Commission. He says one area where he differs from several other candidates running for the commission this year is that he supports the sixth-penny tax allocation which is used to fund various projects approved by county voters.

Applegate says the money has funded a number of worthwhile projects in the county, including the Laramie County Library, the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office and several projects in the county’s smaller communities. Applegate says that he also thinks all of the items proposed on the current sixth-penny ballot–which goes before voters on August 21–are good, sensible proposals. But he does say he’s concerned that if all of the projects are approved, it will be quite a while before the projects have all been paid for.

Applegate also says he doesn’t think it should be difficult for the county commission and the Cheyenne City Council to get along, saying it’s basically a matter of communication and cooperation, adding, in his words, it should be ”a no brainier“. He supports cooperation between the commission and oil companies to mitigate negative impacts of the Niobrara Oil Play.

Applegate has served as the director of Cheyenne Leads from 1990 to 1993, and served in the State Senate from 1989 t0 1997, including as Minority Floor Leader in 1995-96.