Debating the issues

Republican candidates campaigning for a spot in local government faced off against one another this week in order to discuss issues that are important to Sweetwater County, including property tax reform and fiscal responsibility.

The candidates participated in a series of debates hosted by the SweetwaterGOP, which took place Monday and Tuesday at the Broadway Theater in Rock Springs. Candidates who are running against one another took the stage together to answer a series of questions covering various topics. 

Topics discussed during the debates included property tax reform, budget and fiscal priorities, economic development, conservation and environmental policies, mental health, education funding, parental rights, housing and infrastructure, qualified immunity, and more. Some topics and questions were brought up in nearly every debate, while others were more specifically geared toward certain candidates and races.

One of the main topics discussed during the debates, which also had some of the most diverse viewpoints from the candidates, was property tax reform and fiscal responsibility. The issue has been a hot button topic locally over the past year, and the candidates weighed in on what has been done for property tax reform so far and whether budget choices have been positive or negative.

"We need reform," Darin McCann said regarding property taxes, adding that the basic principal is to spend less and tax less.

Laura Pearson also said property tax reform is a major concern and focus of her campaign.

Marlene Brady explained that she was involved with the ballot initiative to cut property tax by 50%, and she would support legislation to create further property tax relief. She expressed her belief that the measures passed so far are not true relief.

"We need a tourniquet, not a bandaid," she said.

Jeff Ramaj said that older people are losing their ranches because they can't pay their taxes, although Sen. John Kolb argued that no one in Sweetwater County has lost their ranch.

Rep. Clark Stith pointed out that bills that were passed during the legislative session will help save residents hundreds of dollars on property taxes. He also encouraged people to vote to approve a constitutional amendment in the general election that will differentiate residential and business property taxes and help make further reform possible.

When it comes to the revenue generated by property taxes, candidates had different ideas on whether cutting taxes would cut services, or how to make up for the funding.

"We have to walk a really fine line with alternative taxing," Rep. J.T. Larson said, adding that one of the avenues he has tried to explore for revenue is rare earth mineral development.

Rep. Scott Heiner said it is a false narrative that reducing property taxes will cut services like ambulance. He expressed his belief that one of the best bills on property tax reform was vetoed by the governor, which would have allowed the state to backfill the money.

"We can afford to give back to the people," Heiner said.

Tom Crank, who is running against Heiner, questioned whether backfilling funds from the state would work for more than a few years. He said he is in favor of reducing property taxes, but the revenue has to come from somewhere at some point, and large cuts could ultimately be devastating to services.

Heiner and others also criticized the state of Wyoming for putting roughly $2 billion into savings, and now having a total of roughly $30 billion in savings.

"How much is enough?" Heiner asked.

The question of the state budget was also addressed by multiple candidates, some of whom agreed with Heiner's assessment. Laura Mckee also criticized the amount in savings and discussed the need to cut wasteful spending in the budget. Marshall Burt similarly said that "the money is there" and some can be given back to "ease the burden" on the public.

Darin McCann also pointed out the $30 billion in the "rainy day fund," and questioned how much taxpayer money the state is holding onto. He said it's "hard to do financial planning if you don't know where your money goes," saying that the state hasn't had a top-to-bottom audit since 1989.

Other incumbent candidates argued in favor of the budget and the need to have money set aside.

Rep. Cody Wylie noted that the legislature has previously been criticized for their spending as well, but said he believed putting money into savings is important in order to be conservative and savvy and not "govern by crisis" when needs come up. He also added that much of the money that is saved also creates more revenue through investments.

Rep. Clark Stith made a comparison to the book of Genesis in the Bible, where Pharaoh has a dream about fat and skinny cows, which Joseph interprets as years of abundance and years of famine, advising Pharaoh to store up during the abundant years to prepare.

"That's what we've done," Stith said. "That's how we plan for the future."

Several candidates also questioned the legislators who voted against a special session earlier this year. Those who seemed to indicate that the legislators should have gone into a special session to further fight for specific bills included Heiner, Mckee and McCann.

Rep. Stith pointed out that the special session wasn't advisable because the legislators didn't want to risk the achievements that had already been made, such as the funding for the new Rock Springs High School, and believed that other problems could be addressed in the next regular legislative session.

The livestream videos of the full debates can be viewed on the SweetwaterGOP Facebook page. The debates included the candidates running to represent Senate Districts 12 and 14, House Districts 17, 18, 39, 48, and 60, and the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners. 

The primary election will be hosted Tuesday, August 20.