GILLETTE, Wyo. — County 17 has sent out a questionnaire to those running in the primary election in August. The following are the answers from Tim Hallinan, the incumbent candidate for State Representative for District 32.
1. Please introduce yourself and describe your educational and employment history. Please include your name and hometown and highlights of past Campbell County involvement.
I am Tim Hallinan. I was a practicing physician here in Gillette from 1982 to 2012. I graduated from Stanford University in 1967 with a degree in Economics, with honors and from the University of Utah with a degree in Medicine in 1975. I completed my residency in Family Medicine in 1979.
My home town was Pasadena, California and I have lived in Gillette since 1982, I served on the Hospital Board of Trustees at Campbell County Memorial Hospital for 9 years until 2005 and I was elected to the Wyoming House of Representatives in 2006 from District 32 where I served until 2011. I had heart surgery in 2010 and was forced to retire when my term ended. I was elected again in 2016 and continue to serve to the present time.
2. Why have you decided to run for this office?
I decided to run because I still have something to offer to the State and to this community.
3. Compared with other candidates running in this election, why are you the best candidate for this position?
I believe that I am the best candidate due to my experience as a physician for 30 years here in Campbell County and my education in economics at Stanford University that have application on the Health and Labor committee and the Revenue Committee where I serve in the Wyoming House of Representatives.
4. What is your vision for the future of your district? What, if any, new initiatives would you like to implement if elected?
I believe that the district will remain much as it is, a comfortable suburban like area attached to a medium-sized town with an economy based on the oil, gas and coal industries. Two initiatives I plan to work on if reelected are 1. Enactment of an alternative means of providing health insurance for the uninsured other than Medicaid expansion and 2. The enactment of a toll road on I-80. Enactment of both of these would prevent taxes from going up and would provide benefit to individuals and the State.
5. How will you effectively manage taxpayer dollars? Do you plan to promote any changes to existing taxes? If so, why?
I would manage taxpayer dollars by keeping spending at a minimum while meeting the needs of the State and its population. Tax increases are not needed at the present time. I proposed a tax cut in the severance tax on coal of $9 million that passed in the last session. Tax updates for the inflation that has occurred may be appropriate in some cases such as the tax on cigarettes that was initially passed in 2003 and has not been increased since.
6. Is there anything else voters should know about you as they determine whom to vote for?
I have worked hard to support the major industries of Wyoming and to see that they are taxed fairly and appropriately. My dedication to the district is exemplified by the fact that I will visit every house in the district and respond to your questions or comments.
