Mayor Pacheco says proposed property tax cut will ‘fundamentally change our way of life in Casper’

CASPER, Wyo. — Mayor Ray Pacheco recently penned a letter to the citizens of Casper, outlining the impact that SF0069, a legislative bill designed to cut property tax, will have on the city.

The City of Casper released a video of Pacheco reading that letter and addressing the people of Casper.

Pacheco stated that Casper will have a direct budget cut of $2 million, as well as yet-to-be-determined indirect cuts from the loss of revenue from partnerships Casper has with special tax districts, Natrona County and the Senior Citizen Service District.

Pacheco also referenced comments made by City Councilor Amber Pollok, who called the proposed bill a “legislature-engineered crisis with little regard for the consequences and impacts that residents will feel.”

WyoFile recently covered the proposed tax cuts, and wrote that “despite what some lawmakers tell voters, property taxes do not fund state government.”

Instead, the story notes, property taxes “pay for local services like county fire departments, K-12 education and transportation, senior centers, hospitals, water and sewer, community colleges, law enforcement, libraries and the construction and maintenance of roads and sidewalks.” 

Pacheco’s letter, and video of him reading the letter, can be seen below:

My fellow Casperites,

It’s an old adage, but it’s true — all politics is local. At best, the Wyoming legislature seems to have forgotten that; at worst, they simply don’t care. And frankly, that’s what makes writing this letter so frustrating, yet urgent.

I am informing you of a drastic change to our standard of living should the legislature pass SF0069 as is currently proposed, their 50% property tax cut.

The City of Casper is tasked with providing you the essential services necessary for living: clean drinking water, responsible garbage collection, treating wastewater, maintaining functional infrastructure, and responsive police, fire, and emergency services. Beyond that, the City works to increase your quality of life and drive our economic development through well-maintained parks, recreation facilities and programming for adults and our kids, restoring our river, and fostering a vibrant arts and cultural scene.

These essential services, economic drivers, and quality of life amenities are all on the chopping block for partial or complete defunding should SF0069 pass. If the legislature follows through, their actions may fundamentally change our way of life in Casper.

The City of Casper would see an immediate direct cut of $2 million to our budget and a yet-to-be-determined number of indirect cuts from the loss of revenue to partnerships the City holds with special tax districts, Natrona County, and the Senior Citizen Service District.

The City Council has a statutory obligation to create and pass balanced budgets. In times of economic crisis, we roll up our sleeves and do the hard work necessary to fulfill our obligation in a transparent, responsible manner that maintains a high standard of living while “living within our means.” This is not such a time. As Councilor Pollock stated over the weekend, this is a legislature-engineered crisis with little regard for the consequences and impacts residents will feel.

With this loss of revenue, the City Council will have to make the hard decisions of what to cut: implement a hiring freeze for police, fire, and emergency services professionals? Close our public parks? End after-school youth programming? Stop plowing roads after snowstorms? Stand by as our sewer and water lines fail? Reduce weekly garbage collection services? Is it really worth losing all of this for $70 a month in tax relief for the average household?

These are all very real considerations and decisions the Council will have to make that impact you, your family, and our broader Casper community. But when local leaders speak out, we are reprimanded by members of the legislature who do not want us to speak up on the harmful impacts their manufactured budget crisis is creating.

As your Mayor, I assure you that we haven’t forgotten that all politics is local. That’s why we’re going to continue to speak out, fight for you, fight for the quality of life you have come to expect here in Casper, and will do so in a transparent, responsive manner. And if you’re feeling as passionate about this as I am, please speak out and have your voice heard.

Thank you,
Mayor Ray Pacheco

Read More: Local governments protest Wyoming lawmakers’ property tax cut proposals

Read More: Laramie County Fire District: Senate’s property tax bill a threat to public safety