Guest Column: Compare My Record To My Opponent's

Rep. Tomi Strock writes, "This race has been described as a 'rematch' of the 2022 race in which I defeated former Rep. Clausen. For the sake of the voters, I’m grateful for this rematch, as my record, like my opponent’s, is available for close inspection."

CS
CSD Staff

June 10, 20243 min read

Tomi strock
(Cowboy State Daily Staff)

It has been the blessing and honor of a lifetime to represent my community in the Wyoming House of Representatives over the last two years, and if you’ll have me, I’m eager to return to Cheyenne on your behalf in 2025.

My record is an open book, and I’m proud of it.

As a freshman representative, I successfully sponsored and ushered two bills important to Converse County through the Legislature and onto the governor’s desk.

My House Bill 175 specifies that students be entitled to excused absences from school when attending 4-H, FFA, and State Fair events, putting our agriculturally-focused students on the same playing field as kids involved in athletics, band, or speech and debate.

My House Bill 144 (Senior citizen district programs and services) allows our senior citizen districts to put their lawfully collected revenue to use for the expansion, renovation, improvement, and maintenance of their facilities with fewer regulations getting in the way.

I am proud to have co-sponsored Senate File 99, which was also signed into law and bans so-called “gender affirming care” for minor children.

I fought to return funding to the people of Converse County, but the big city tax-and-spend liberals in charge of crafting the state budget stripped projects from our backyard and moved them to Casper, Cheyenne, and Laramie.

Appropriators would rather spend $700K in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl Parade and other like projects that are not prioritized by the people of House District 6.

For these reasons and more, I voted against passage of the state’s biennial budget. Seemingly drafted to punish conservative and rural legislators and their constituents, it constituted a 32% growth in government, and was the largest budget in state history.

Untapped growth of government spending will only result in the state returning to the taxpayers asking for more. That’s why I fought for more property tax relief and real reform as a member of the House Revenue Committee.

My opponent, a former member of the Wyoming House, also has a record.

He voted against a bill in 2021 that would have mandated consideration of depreciation in value of personal property for purposes of taxation– it failed, but would have lowered personal property taxes for countless business owners in the State.

He also voted for a bill that would have removed agricultural tax status from thousands of small community agricultural operations, which would have emptied your pockets and filled government coffers.

He voted for the lodging tax, against photo I.D. requirements for voting, and against a ban on sanctuary cities. Many of the votes cast by my opponent are what spurred me to run to represent the people of House District 6 in 2022.

This race has been described as a “rematch” of the 2022 race in which I defeated former Rep. Clausen. For the sake of the voters, I’m grateful for this rematch, as my record, like my opponent’s, is available for close inspection.

Before the August 20 primary, I encourage you to visit wyoleg.gov and explore our votes.

Rep. Tomi Strock represents House District 6 in Douglas.

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