Paxton announces plans to run for re-election

Jerry Paxton (R), of Encampment, has announced that he will be running for re-election in District 47 in the Wyoming House of Representatives.

Paxton, who is finishing up his freshman term in office, said that he still has unfinished business in the House.

"This is my first term, and there are so many things I would like to follow up on. It's a real steep learning curve that first couple years until you get through a regular session and a budget session, it's hard to know what is going on. I just think I can be more effective the second term," Paxton said.

Paxton said there are still a lot of issues pending in the house that he would like to continue. He said he has been an outspoken advocate against Senate File 104 which removed the Superintendent of Schools as an elected official.

"I've continued to resist that process and, hopefully, we can get to a point where we can turn the clock back on that issue. That was one of the first bills I had to react to coming over from the State Senate. I think that is still pretty high on my list of things that need to get done," Paxton said.

Paxton added that he will continue promoting natural resources in the Platte Valley and throughout his district.

"We have some natural resources things going on right now with timber. And we are going to have our meeting next week with the Governor's Task Force," Paxton said. "But we also have some things going on with the BLM [Bureau of Land Management] to try to get some timber sales through the BLM. Working worth the State Forester's office ... these things are pretty important to our Valley and I would like to ensure that we have a continuing supply of raw materials for our two mills in Saratoga and Encampment."

Outside of timber, Paxton said he plans to continue advocating for natural gas.

"One of the other things that we took a run at but didn't make happen is to try to look at is the towns around Wyoming that don't have natural gas, and I think that is an important part of infrastructure in a lot of these small towns," he said.

Paxton also said that supporting agriculture and tourism are essential to sustaining growth in the Platte Valley.

One of the more controversial bills this session was House Bill 111, which allows school districts to decide if employees should carry weapons, given that they have a conceal carry permit. Paxton said he voted in favor of the bill.

"School safety, all the way around, is an important issue for me," Paxton said. "There are two facets to that. We have to keep any intruder out of the building, so we have to secure the buildings to make sure nobody gets in ... where it's feasible, using school resource officers for security who are highly trained for these situations but we have so many rural schools in Wyoming, where that is not a viable option."

Primaries take place in Wyoming Aug. 19, 2014.