All in this together

It has been said that Wyoming is one small town with really long streets.

The idea that we’re all in this together, that despite the geographic vastness of our state, we’re all neighbors is inherent in the Cowboy State’s identity.

This viewpoint, however, does not seem to be shared by all members of the Wyoming Legislature.

Members from more populated and richer counties don’t seem to care about their smaller, poorer neighbors. While others seem to not understand how local governments are even funded.

Last year, Rep. John Bear (R-Gillette), former Freedom Caucus chairman, infamously questioned whether small towns should even exist.

This understandably ruffled quite a few feathers. Wyoming has 99 cities and towns. Most are towns – small towns.

As lawmakers prepare for the 2026 session, which will no doubt once again include discussions about how to fund Wyoming’s cities, towns and counties, it’s worth remembering this animus toward small towns.

Recent property tax cuts were shouldered by local governments and special districts. The state is not funded by property tax. 

Compared to other counties with a smaller property tax base, Johnson County has fared better than some of our neighbors. In Big Horn County, commissioners closed two library branches and reduced the hours of the main library. To avoid cutting staff, Goshen County Clerk Mary Feagler looked to consolidate and transition from 11 polling places to three voting centers, saving around $30,000. In Park County, Weed and Pest Supervisor Josh Shorb slashed a seasonal weed-spraying crew from 12 to eight members, stopped spraying weeds along county roads and ended their support of a hazardous waste collection day.

Local governments have very few options for raising revenue (the exceptions being a 1% optional sales tax and a 1% specific use tax that must be approved by voters). 

In some small communities without much retail activity, sales tax collections are meager and many communities would not be able to balance their budgets without direct distributions from the state.

Local government advocates asked a legislative committee in October to increase the direct distribution allocation from 5.5% to 8% to offset lost revenue from property tax reductions and create a more reliable, sustainable source of funding for counties, towns and cities.

The committee decided to raise the allocation by only one-tenth of a percent despite the fact that sales tax collections are down.

It’s easy to cut taxes when you don’t have to face the consequences of those cuts. Cities, towns and counties will be forced to do the dirty work of cutting budgets. Without direct payments, it is doubtful that many smaller towns will be able continue to function.

Do we really want Wyoming’s legacy to be a state filled with small ghost towns connected by really long streets?