Across Wyoming, our communities rely on essential local services to stay safe, healthy, and connected. From libraries to fire departments, health and human services to public hospitals and senior centers to search and rescue, these foundational resources are the backbone of daily life in our state and in Teton County. Today, that foundation is directly threatened by Wyoming Proposition 1. Proposition 1 would cut property taxes on residential property by 50%, significantly reducing a major source of funding for essential local government services across Wyoming.
As Nate Martin of Better Wyoming aptly explains in this recent forum at Teton County Library, a blanket 50% cut to property taxes effectively kicks out one leg of a three-legged stool supporting local government funding in Wyoming. We are already witnessing the tragic consequences of funding shortfalls across our state. Following a previous 25% funding cut, public libraries in several rural Wyoming communities are currently being forced to shut their doors or significantly reduce hours. A further cut under Proposition 1 would prove catastrophic for remaining public services.
In his recent warning to voters, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon highlighted the grave risks posed by this measure:
This initiative, called Proposition One, is the first step in what could be a further call to completely dismantle a system of taxation Wyoming has relied upon since before statehood. The reduction by 50% would have an immediate and devastating effect on the services most Wyoming citizens rely upon in their communities.
At its heart, Proposition 1 threatens the very pillar of what public libraries provide: open, equal access to resources and services for every family, student, and worker. Because Wyoming’s public libraries operate as an interconnected network, a blow to a single library system harms patrons across the entire state. As Cristine Braddy, past president of the Wyoming Library Association, emphasizes, “When funding cuts force one library system to scale back its digital collection, reduce shared database subscriptions or trim resource-sharing capabilities, the ripple effects degrade the quality of service across our entire state network.”
Teton County Library Director Kip Roberson echoes Braddy:
“As we look toward November, we need to talk honestly about what Proposition 1 could mean for Wyoming. This isn’t just a small change in tax numbers. It’s a real threat to one of the places that helps hold our communities together: our public libraries.
If Prop 1 passes, the drop in property tax revenue won’t just tighten budgets—it could upend them. Larger library systems might scrape by with painful cuts to hours and staff. But many of our rural communities are facing something much harder. Some counties are already saying they may have to close nearly all their branches.
Wyoming’s libraries have always worked as a shared network. When one county’s shelves go dark, the whole state feels it. These are more than buildings with books. They’re our gathering places, our learning hubs, our safe spaces, and often the first door people walk through when they need help.
We can’t afford to give them up for short-term tax relief. The long-term cost to our towns, our families, and our future is simply too great.”
Protecting our libraries is about protecting the fabric of our community and the right to access.
Teton County Library Foundation & Friends invites all Teton County residents to join them on Tuesday, November 3rd by voting NO on Proposition 1. Together, we can vote to support critical local services and protect our statewide library network.
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