Jen Solis (Democratic)

215 W 3rd Ave
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001-1212
Map It

Wyoming has been home since 1996. Nine days after my 18th birthday and six days after graduating high school, I left everything I’d ever known in Bangor, Maine, and boarded a westbound Greyhound Bus. I had $100 to my name and no idea what the future held.

On a June evening, as the sun set, the bus stopped for fuel east of Cheyenne. Under the big, colorful sky, I breathed cold prairie air for the first time and felt a sense of place so strong I knew Wyoming was home.

Choosing life in Wyoming meant embracing the values of hard work, courage, fairness, and integrity. I understand that the freedom to pursue my happiness is grounded in defending the rights of others to pursue theirs. Along the way, I’ve had many who love Wyoming to lean on and learn from as examples of these values.

In a state that values small, limited government, non-profits do a lot of the heavy lifting when addressing a community's social issues. I've spent the majority of my career solving problems, developing programs, and raising money to address issues facing hardworking families.

In 2021, I left my position as Development Director for Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County to focus my efforts on my small business, Sol Solutions, offering grant-writing and bookkeeping for various non-profits.

I am a proud product of Wyoming's excellent community college system, where I studied accounting. As an adult learner in my 30s, I maintained a 4.0 GPA while raising two small children. When my husband and I learned we were expecting our 3rd child, I had to leave school to focus on my family responsibilities. While I did not achieve the goal of becoming a CPA, I was able to leverage the skills I learned into a small bookkeeping business that I maintain today.

I have always loved being active in my community and have served in many capacities. I have served on the PTO of my children's elementary school since 2016 and was the chair of the Scholastic Book Fairs during that time. I also serve on the District Parent Advisory Council. I am a board member of the Wyoming Independent Citizens Coalition and the Wyoming Civic Engagement Network. I work on the Family Selection Committee for Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County.

I decided to run because my community needs a voice for Wyoming that believes in local control, limited government, and a Wyoming that is big and free enough for all pursuits of happiness.

Wyoming doesn't want out-of-state groups calling the shots and telling elected officials how to vote. It wants pragmatic solutions to the issues our community faces and legislation that helps hard-working Wyomingites thrive.

Education. Our neighborhood schools make our community unique, and our students and educators deserve safe, healthy places to learn and work. The Legislature had repeatedly failed to meet its obligations- to the point where one school, Arp Elementary, lost its building when it was condemned. This community is now forced to send its children across town to the old East Ridge building- which also has too many structural issues to list here. These kids deserve better. Now, we've been told the only solution to provide these kids a safe school is to close down as many as eight neighborhood schools. I'll be a voice for educators and families with school-aged children in the legislature.

Property Tax Relief for those who need it. Skyrocketing property values have made the fixed-income tax burden too high for longtime homeowners and families. The Legislature can help- but proposals to cut the tax rate in half would defund schools, emergency services, and the police. It would also further incentivize investment buyers to the market and turn more of our housing stock into rental units rather than owner-occupied homes.

Wyoming Freedoms. The government should not be dictating what the individual's pursuit of happiness can look like. Using the government to dictate what kinds of medical care we can receive, what books we can read, and other culture war issues is not the Wyoming Way. The free pursuit of happiness must apply to everyone.