Letter to the Editor: Are those property tax cuts really worth it?

Dear editor:

This is in response the front-page article about the 20% cut to county library budgets resulting in the closure of two libraries and substantial cutbacks to the other libraries. 

Everyone appreciates paying less tax, but at what cost?

Several paragraphs into the article it said that elections will lose 59%, emergency management 55% and local emergency planning 30%, and a $57,000 cut to Search and Rescue, just “to name a few.” It appears the library cuts are just the tip of the iceberg.

On March 25, Dan Laursen and Dayton Banks held a joint town hall meeting in Greybull. In response to audience questions about the effect of the 25% property tax cut they stated that their East Coast Freedom Caucus handlers assured them the loss to Big Horn County would be under $100,000, less than 1%. It appears the actual loss it is five to 10 times that amount. I am sure we will see more cuts in the coming months.

This does not include the million-dollar loss to Big Horn County school districts which is supposed to be made up from the state’s “rainy day fund.” But that fund will be depleted in a few years and then what?

And it does not count the $150,000 loss to the hospitals, $100,000 loss to Rural Health Care, not to mention senior centers, cemetery districts, county fair, Meals on Wheels, etc.

I would not be too quick to blame the county commissioners; they can only work with the funds they receive and these budget cuts were made at the state level.

Within the county, the primary controllable cost is people. This will probably cost several jobs, people who thought they had solid employment and benefits for themselves and their families. Most likely some road crew, a deputy or two, and a couple people from the courthouse. 

The Freedom Caucus still wants to cut residential property tax by another 25% up to a total of 50% which will double the problem.

It appears some of the Freedom Caucus members are starting to realize that they will need new sources of revenue and they are proposing that groceries be subject to sales tax meaning a 5% inflationary increase in food costs. Unless you take your business to Montana.

I would urge all Big Horn County residents to pay attention to what is happening in our county and our state. Educate yourself and then make up your own mind. Are the tax cuts worth losing the quality of our schools, county, and city services, possibly losing our hospital and various other services we normally take for granted?

Decide for yourself what future you want for the Big Horn Basin and Wyoming and vote accordingly.

Steve Helburn

Greybull