House District 28 candidates aligned on most issues discussed at recent forum

(Shoshoni, WY) – Two of the four Republicans running to represent House District 28 in the Wyoming Legislature this year attended a recent candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters in Shoshoni.

The candidates in attendance – Allen Hogg of Meeteetse and Marshall Keller of Thermopolis – shared many points of agreement throughout the evening.

For example, they both expressed opposition to the upcoming ballot initiative for a 50 percent reduction in property taxes.

“We just had property tax reductions, and every municipality and county commissioner is trying to figure out how to deal with that budget cut,” Keller said. “We’re just doing rapid fire (tax cuts) which could potentially cause a lot of harm.”

Hogg said his opposition was based on the same reasoning, noting that “the property tax is the only tax that goes directly to fund our local governments.”

“I have supported (tax cuts) in the past – I think there was a time when the property taxes were going up too fast,” he said. “(But) I oppose imposing any more of that tax cut.”

In fact, Hogg said if he is elected to the legislature his No. 1 priority would be to advocate against further property tax reductions – and to urge his fellow lawmakers to consider supplying “backfill” funding to local governments that have lost revenue as a result of recent property tax cuts.

He listed school funding as his second property, calling for the restoration of local control in that area.

Hogg was referring to the legislature’s recent recalibration effort, which resulted in a “silo system” that he opposes. 

“I think it takes too much local control away,” he said. 

As an attorney, Keller said he has identified several “pet issues” that he would “tackle right off the bat” if elected, mostly involving individual property rights during disputes with the state, but he also listed local control as a top priority.

“One of the main reasons I’m running is because of the lack of local control,” he said. “Our local control has been whittled away, and that is not our tradition or history here in Wyoming.”

Both candidates also called the state’s new education savings account for K-12 students in non-public schools unconstitutional and urged more oversight to be incorporated into the program.

“If we’re going to be providing money, there needs to be testing to see if they actually are meeting any requirements,” Keller said, pointing out that the Wyoming Constitution requires the state to provide “a quality education.” 

Hogg agreed that, as it stands, “we don’t have any oversight to see if these kids are even getting educated.”

“They should have to report to their local school district to at least have some sort of oversight into seeing that these kids are actually getting some education,” he said. 

Another point of agreement that emerged during last month’s forum was the candidates’ support for data center development – with restrictions. 

For example, Keller said it will be important to ensure that eminent domain can’t be used to bring data centers in, or to establish new utilities.

He also doesn’t think data center development should be subsidized by increased rates from power companies. 

“Then obviously we have the water issue,” Keller said. “There should be stringent requirements as to water usage and whether or not they’re going to waste it.”

Both candidates said it will be important to embed local control in the data center development process, too.

“I think every community should have some say,” Hogg said, encouraging local residents to get involved in county land use discussions so they can express their opinions on the topic when it arises.

The candidates had similar answers regarding renewable energy resources, which they both support as part of Wyoming’s “all of the above” energy policy – but not with government subsidies.

“I think we need to keep Wyoming open for business,” Hogg said. “But I’m not for subsidizing bringing in these industries that can’t stand on their own.”

Keller agreed, adding that renewable energy development comes with some of the same problems as data center development. 

“When these renewables come in, (like) any other power plant, they have to use eminent domain to put in the utilities and lines and everything else,” he said. “And again, that’s shoving something down the throats of a lot of our citizens. That shouldn’t happen. … If (renewables) want to be there, they should be good neighbors and be able to pay their way and work with their neighbors to get the access they need. And if not, then maybe it’s not the right place for them to do business.”

Medicaid expansion

Keller and Hogg only discussed one point of disagreement between them during last month’s forum: Medicaid expansion.

Hogg said he would support Medicaid expansion in Wyoming because it would bring more federal funding to the state to cover health care costs.

“The government (would) pay 90 percent of the bill,” he said. “That’s a pretty hard one to just turn down.”

There are always “strings attached” to federal funding, however, Keller said.

“It’d be great if the federal government would come in and say, ‘Hey, yeah, we’re going to give you this money, but we’re going to allow local control,’” he said. “If that was to come down, then I might relook at it. But … at this time, no, I don’t support Medicaid expansion.”

Keller is a retired Navy Seal who worked in construction and mining before going to the University of Wyoming for law school. 

He currently works as the Shoshoni Town Attorney, but he lives in Thermopolis, where he serves as a school board member.

“I have a wide variety of experience, and a major part of that experience here in the last six years is (being) a part of the government,” he said, calling himself the “best candidate” for Wyoming House District 28.

Hogg described himself as a third-generation rancher from Meeteetse and a lifelong Wyoming resident who has experience serving on multiple local boards, associations, and councils.

“I’ve been around for 66 years, (and) I’ve been a resident of Wyoming this whole time,” he said. “I’m not going to be influenced by some outside group, (and) I’m going to take every vote seriously.”

The other two candidates running in the Republican primary for House District 28 are Carlin Jones of Otto and Roland Leuhne of Thermopolis, neither of whom were able to attend last month’s forum. 

To watch the entire event, click here.