Dear editor:
As long as enough people can be frightened, then all people can be ruled.
According to Sheriff Brian Kozak, the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office may have to practically shutter its doors due to fearmongering.
Remember, character and integrity from our elected officials are the most important aspect for holding a position of authority. When elected officials are not completely truthful and try to scare the people, we must scrutinize their words more carefully.
As of February 18, 2025, the Wyoming legislature was considering a 50% property tax reduction for a two-year timeframe on homes up to $500,000 with backfill considerations, but due to the vast amount of amendments, Senate File 69 was pulled back temporarily for further discussion.
Now, on February 19, 2025, during a late-night House session, the legislature passed Senate File 69 for a 50% property tax cut with a 50% backfill to communities.
This will require the House and Senate to convene a Joint Conference Committee (JJC) to concur on a final bill that both chambers agree with before sending it to Governor Mark Gordon.
Without knowing all of the facts and not knowing if any backfill money may occur for any of our 23 counties, Sheriff Kozak immediately said he will lose $2 million dollars in budget cuts, lay off 25 employees, and several programs will have to be eliminated.
I have personally spoken to several Wyoming Senators and Representatives, and they all have told me Sheriff Kozak is spreading fearmongering.
According to Dave Simpson’s column in Cowboy State Daily on February 17, 2025, “Don’t fall for the same old sky is falling."
Simpson states the following, “It has been reported last year Laramie County set aside $32 million dollars it collected in property tax. Given those reserves, what are the chances our sheriff (Kozak) will have to lay off 25 employees if Senate File 69 passes? If our county (Laramie) is dumb enough to gut law enforcement at the same time it has $92 million in reserves, voters will oust every incumbent on the ballot”.
In a recent interview with Representative Steve Johnson (Cheyenne) on Weekend in Wyoming 650 KGAB, Representative Johnson is quoted saying, “Laramie County has $278 million in reserves. That’s over a quarter of a million dollars, and if you think police and fire departments are going to suffer from that, it’s not true”.
During the same interview, Representative Ann Lucas (Cheyenne) said, “Our local governments don’t ever seem to want to talk about how to reduce spending”. Lucas continues by saying: “They immediately start talking about cuts in law enforcement and fire protection”.
Under the former Biden administration, his policies have caused inflation, higher prices on almost everything to include insurance, interest rates, fuel, food, etc. and American taxpayers have had to tighten our belts and reduce spending to maintain a living.
It’s amazing, the first item politicians immediately go to is increasing taxes on citizens to solve problems.
And they always threaten to reduce first responder’s budgets as their immediate fix to scare people instead of looking at other spending cuts such as wasteful spending on projects. They usually say, there is nowhere in the budget that can be cut. This is a complete fabrication because even in our household budgets, there is some wiggle room for reduced spending.
I would close by saying, don’t believe all the fearmongering coming from a true politician like Sheriff Brian Kozak.
The sheriff’s office will continue to operate and be funded by the Laramie County Commissioners and taxpayers. And remember, as long as enough people can be frightened, then all people can be ruled.
Sincerely,
Jeff Barnes, Cheyenne
