Rep. Dalton Banks addresses questions and concerns at commissioners

Before leaving for Cheyenne, Rep. Dalton Banks, R-Cowley, attended the Feb. 3 meeting of the Big Horn County Commission to discuss the budget session that began this week.

Like other Big Horn County legislators, Banks took questions from many of the county elected officials and staff.

Commissioners Deb Craft and Dave Neves were at the meeting in person. Commissioner Bruce Jolley appeared via Zoom. Also in attendance were Clerk of District Court Serena Lipp, County Emergency Management Coordinator LaRae Dobbs, County Assessor Cozette Winters, County Attorney Marcia Bean, Deputy County Attorney Jennifer Kirk, County Clerk Lori Smallwood, and Kristin Fong from the Wyoming Business Council. 

Banks said because it is a budget session “everything really is directed at the Joint Appropriations Committee (JAC). So, they are the ones that direct things during the budget session. Committees still have a chance to submit bills.” 

The committees have been able to work during the interim on some different bills. 

In his opinion there are far too many bills for a budget session. 

“I decided to hold off on most of my bills, just because it is a budget session. It is going to take us a long time to negotiate the budget. I think that is where our focus needs to be. I decided to put my focus on the budget.” 

 TAXES 

Saying she was speaking as an individual, Dobbs said “The gas tax is a way to have everyone who uses our highways share the cost of the roads. Nobody wants to see gas cost more, but when it is only a couple of pennies on that tax, we really don’t notice it that much as some other things that we would miss if you were cutting money from them to put it over there. Not all of your constituents would be against that.” 

She continued that a lot of the people that are in the room are there to visit with him about all the cuts with the decreases in taxes. The cuts are causing a big pinch to what the people in county positions can do and what the county can do. A big concern is what the cuts are doing to the services provided by first responders.  She continued that Banks and other Big Horn County legislators need to be the voice for the people of this county. They also need to band together with the other hardship counties in the state.  

Dobbs added that some other legislators that represent both Park and Big Horn only seem to care about Park. “It is imperative that you speak for Big Horn County and not for other organizations that are not BHC that have a big swing down there with our legislators.  That like to really push to tell everybody you’ve got to vote this way, or we are not going to help you with anything you are doing. We are not going to be able to continue to operate and our citizens in this part of Wyoming are just as important as those that live in populated areas. You need to take big swings for us. That is what we hired you to do.” 

Banks replied that he believes that the urban versus rural issue is causing a lot of the tension. “They are saying, we just need to bring our taxes down and we will be fine. But we are in the rural area saying we’ve got to find a balance here because we want to keep grandma in her house, but we also want to give grandma law enforcement and people in the courthouse. That is the struggle. That is the balance I don’t think is currently being talked about but that is the balance we need to find.” 

Banks agreed that the hardship counties must stick together. “We were all pretty unified that we needed backfill in these communities. Unfortunately, the governor didn’t listen to that request. The first time it was done, it was vetoed. The second time it was threatened to be vetoed. So, the work around what we can do to bring him on board and to get these urban legislators just to understand what we are going through is vital and I appreciate you bringing that up.” 

Addressing the veto comment, Jolley said, “The governor didn’t veto the general backfill. He only put a veto on some of the property tax exemptions.” The bill in question was SF 0054. 

Banks asked to clarify and said, “The letter we got from him that he vetoed that bill was because it contained backfill. So, when we started to negotiate the 25% homeowners’ exemption and then when we met with him doing that, he told us if it contains that backfill, he will veto it again.” 

Kirk added that the specific veto was the bill, which created a blanket exception for any home, 25% of the first $2 million valuation. “So, the veto was specifically because that wasn’t a targeted enough exemption status. I don’t know that it is fair to say he is anti any backfill.” 

Jolley asked if the eight hardship counties meet on a regular basis to discuss the similar problems. He suggested those counties create their own caucus like a “rural caucus.” He added he would suggest that as there is power in numbers. Banks said the hardship counties speak quite a bit. “Not officially as a quote-on-quote caucus gathering but I know we talk quite a bit. We get together on different pieces of legislation and say this is going to affect or hurt my county. Are you seeing this here too? Brainstorm that way. That was kind of the push behind us all pushing for that backfill. We said we can’t take this kind of hit. We need this backfill. The bill left the House with the backfill provision in it. We prevailed in the House in getting that provision in there. We need to twist the arms of our hardship Senators.” 

Jolley stated that the senators in the hardship counties need to vote for the people of their counties not in “lockstep” with the Freedom Caucus if those senators had to answer to the “rural caucus”.  Banks noted that the struggle is real. There are nine legislators in the Big Horn Basin. Cheyenne itself has nine legislators. 

Banks mentioned there has been talk about eliminating property tax completely. The discussion continued about how tax cuts would impact services to the residents. More cuts could lead to a state income tax. 

SALES TAX 

Dobbs said she has never seen so many people working for the government that are antigovernment. “The Freedom Caucus is not speaking for the general population that I am speaking to here in Big Horn County. They are not on board with cutting all these property taxes that we rely on for services. From roads to fire to police to ambulance.” 

Banks stated that there could be a supplement with sales tax. “I don’t see how that works, and I don’t see how that will cover the cuts we pay in property taxes in the numbers I crunched.” He added sales tax would not be administrated the same as property taxes. “Secondly it is punishing the less fortunate people because people who rent, they don’t pay a property tax. They just feel the tax increase to their groceries, utilities and things like that. I’ve spoken out against that one and said that is not a viable solution to increase sales tax.” 

DIRECT DISTRIBUTION 

Craft asked Banks to speak on direct distribution. Banks said $105 million has been a pretty standard amount. He believes that number is stagnant as it hasn’t adjusted for inflation. When he talks to the budget office, he thinks the number should be $175 million. That will be his push. “The rural people have come together in the past and were able to bring the number to $146 million. I think if we able to do that again, I think we can get that $175 million. That will put us so we account for inflation and we can make up some losses there. What I am excited about too is we’re really working on codifying that. So, then it is not then just a recommendation from the governor. We play with it in the House and the Senate when the budget comes up.” 

He noted the idea of codifying was brought forth last year but because of some technical issues it stalled. He will be pushing for codifying this year. He will also be reaching out to the other rural communities to help push it through. 

Smallwood said she would like the legislators to look at the language in the codifying bill. They need to make sure whatever is codified will continue to move with inflation and state revenue. “Everything I am hearing is the state is funding 40% of their budget just from investment income. The rainy-day fund is here. There is plenty of money at the state, but it is not filtering down to us. Every time we turn around, they are taking away the county’s ability to take care of itself. By reducing property taxes. By doing some other things. They are making counties dependent on the state. That is not how we work in this part of the country. We don’t want to be wards of the state. We want to take care of ourselves.” 

She informed Banks that this county has 54 special districts. Treasurers in other counties may write four or five checks a month. In Big Horn County the treasurer writes 54 checks a month to special districts. 

FREEDOM CAUCUS  

Kirk asked Banks how he plans on “managing what you hear from those of us in this meeting today and other constituents you hear from on top of or in conjunction with the agenda of the Freedom Caucus (FC) going forward. It doesn’t seem like those are aligning a lot of times. It was a little disappointing when one of your colleagues was here a few weeks ago. If I could speak frankly, rolled his eyes at us. Then went to Cheyenne and did what he wanted to do. It felt disrespectful. I am not saying that this is the attitude you are here with today. We all appreciate you coming. 

She continued by asking what he will put as his priority. “The needs of your constituents or potentially what may not match up with the FC?“ 

Banks said his constituents and he hopes his last three years in the Legislature have shown that they will always be his priority. “What we need here, in this district and this area, will always be my priority, what I fight for.” He said he hears a lot from constituents. That helps him with his votes and to see legislation that has potential. “Maybe it’s not perfect in the beginning but we allow amendments to correct things that would help rural areas and districts. Me and another representative and a senator started what we call Un-Caucus. Taking a page out of Ronald Regan’s book. “We come on this floor and we have debates; at 6 o’clock we have a beer. Not me but we talk about we’re getting back to being people not policy.” A lot of times this helps get over the hurdles. It helps them tweak legislation that can help both rural and urban districts. It helps get them past the identity focus and concentrate on what they are there for. 

Dobbs asked Banks how he aligns himself with the Freedom Caucus. “You’re not on the roles but it looks like your voting might go along their lines somewhat. I’ve been told that you pick up their voting paper and look at it.” 

Banks said he is not a member of the FC or the Wyoming Caucus. “We formed that un-caucus to kind of get rid of that identity politics kind of thing. As far their voting paper, I don’t pick it up. I don’t know where they keep them. They might be under lock and key. Rumors start all the time that they call me a RINO and a radical. I just have a conversation about it. A lot of times the media likes to stir the division to get a good story. I have never thought it would be prudent for me to join one of those caucuses because it is just me and House District 26. To protect them and to do what is right for them.  That is where my allegiances lie.” 

EDUCATION RECALIBRATION 

Banks was asked his views on the recommendations coming out of the recalibration committee about education funding. Specifically, how it will impact the schools in BHC. He said he reached out and expressed concerns about what he has been hearing from people around the district. “One big concern is the ratios. Increasing those ratios is going to cause a lot of problems. That is the urban versus rural of not understanding how big of an impact that is going to have on us. On staff. On support staff.” 

He added that the recommendation that came out of the committee was better than it started out. It stills needs work. He is going to push to get the ratio back where it needs to be for rural districts. Another concern is the funding for the co-located schools together. (Riverside High School/Middle School being an example) There are co-located schools across the Big Horn Basin. “Having them funded separately allows us to have that support and give our students what they need in both of those different schools. If they are going to say your schools are located in one building so we are going to combine your funding. That is going to have some pretty disastrous effects. We are going to push to not let that happen also.” 

Kirk noted that schools were not even given a choice to not combine the schools into one building. “We are being punished for what the state forced us to do.” Dobbs added that the state didn’t give the school districts the choice on classroom or building sizes. She gave an example of an elementary school can’t even hold a Christmas concert for all their grades at one time because the parents can’t fit in at the same time. With the change in ratio the question is how 25 desks will fit in the smaller classrooms that were built. The smaller classrooms only fit 13 kids.

STATE RAISES 

Dobbs addressed some legislators they were going to vote for raises for state employees. “While we here at the county are struggling to cut back, cut back, cut back. That’s not what we voted you all in to do. You are here to represent what is happening to us here locally. Not what is happening to the state employees. Please keep that in mind when that bill comes up.” She added that when money goes to state employees it is not available for the needs of the schools, etc. 

Dobbs also took issue with Senator Dan Laursen saying he was going to vote for more money for the Department of Health. “They are the largest agency in the state and suck a lot of money. He is talking about money that is coming in for access to functional needs. It is going to go to the Wyoming Department of Health.” She believes that if there is money for access for functional needs some of that should go to the schools. It would help bring paras into the schools to help with those special needs’ situations. When schools must start cutting, usually it is the paras that get cut first. They are the ones working with these children. 

WYOMING BUSINESS COUNCIL 

Jolley addressed a bill to defund the Wyoming Business Council (WBC). He said to Banks, “You were at the last legislative meeting that I was at. I was quite disappointed and flabbergasted that Senator Laursen mentioned the demise of the WBC was decided in a back-room meeting. I see this going on. We gave Dan a challenge to look at some of the historical stuff (about the WBC). He rattled off a few facts from 2024 but didn’t bother to look into the growth of those companies in 2025 or what happened in 2023 or 2022. I honestly wonder if anything is going to happen with the challenge he was given by everybody in that room. What is your gut feeling with the WBC based on his comments?” 

Banks said “The conversations I’ve had both people around the state and legislators is about 50/50. People think that it needs some restructure. There are some people who thinks it needs to go. I think what is going to happen is that it is going to be restructured.” He continued that most of the legislators he talks to understand the need for infrastructure. 

“People tend to deviate from that when it comes to the business side of things, who gets what award and things like that. People tend to struggle with that idea. I think there is going to be some restructure coming down the pike for that. It is hard to know because a lot of the conversation has taken place in the appropriations committee that the other legislators aren’t privy to. 

Fong told Banks that what is interesting in all the interactions thus far is that there were no questions posed to the WBC about what their impact has been. Or asking for about specific programs. “I know for certain that the business council is ready to restructure if that is the wish of the state. We have actually asked for it for several years now.” They have also rewritten rules on their largest grant program because they want to make sure, they are serving the communities. 

She believes there may be some misunderstanding about what the WBC programs do. She would welcome the opportunity to clarify these. She wants to put it on the record that the WBC is willing to have the conversations and to make sure the information is transparent. All the information is on their web site. 

Fong asked Banks to make contract with her or with the WBC CEO Josh Dorrell if he had questions. Banks said absolutely and that he believes most legislators would be open to getting information . 

ADDITONAL QUESTIONS 

Fong addressing Banks “You are talking about collaboration being very effective and the hardship counties collaborate more efficiently. Do you have any go to resources? Do you reach out to specific state agencies ever for the people on the ground, doing the work, doing the budgeting for the counties themselves. Do you call upon them during session?” 

Banks responded, “As far as like these people here (in the room)?” Fong said anybody. What is his process when discussing bills on the floor or with other legislators. “Do you call each of your town administrators? Do you call on the people working in the field ever? Do you call on the agencies that are responsible for rural development?” 

Banks said absolutely. “There is always lots of education bills, so I speak frequently with the superintendents, principals, teachers that I grew up with that are now serving, now teaching. We speak quite a bit. I speak to the commissioners quite a bit. I know Serena has reached out to me about some things. The mayors and city administrators. Especially different things like direct distribution and everything like that. What is the rate that is going to help you out. Luckily everybody is very receptive to that in this area. Everybody is very knowledgeable.”

Bean asked about reimbursement for prosecutors. She explained that the state reimburses the counties for a portion of the county attorney and deputy county attorney’s salaries. “About 98% of the work we do in my office is for the state. We enforce state laws, we prosecute state violations, we do Title 25s, we do all the juvenile cases, criminal prosecution.” The district attorneys are getting paid almost double for the same work.  One deputy attorney had 163 cases last year. 

She believes Representative Ken Pendergraft is the legislator pushing to increase the salary cap for prosecutors as well as the state reimbursement. Bean believes that will help the county and ask Banks to support it. Banks said he would see if the bill were listed. If not, he will put his name on the bill and support it . 

When asked about a bill to sell state lands for $1 an acre Banks indicated he doesn’t believe the bill will come out of the speaker’s drawer for introduction. If it does, he does not see it passing.