SWEETWATER COUNTY — Sweetwater County Clerk Cindy Lane denied a claim that she sent a resident to a New Year’s Eve event with a petition to reduce property taxes.
Commissioner Mary Thoman said during the commissioner meeting Tuesday that she attended Farson’s New Year’s Eve party, and that resident Jeff Ramaj was there collecting signatures for the petition entitled, The People’s Initiative to Reduce Property Taxes Through Homeowner’s Exemption.
This ballot initiative aims to exempt a person’s residential property tax by 50%. The proposal was certified by Secretary of State Chuck Gray and needs to receive 29,730 signatures from across Wyoming to have the initiative placed on the 2024 ballot.
Thoman said that Ramaj claimed he was sent to the party with the petition by Lane.
“It was a distinct statement made that he was sent by Clerk Lane to give people the opportunity to sign the petition regarding property tax,” Thoman said.
As part of Lane’s duties as county clerk, she serves as the county’s chief election officer, which means Lane conducts county, state, and federal elections held within Sweetwater County. Lane denied the claims that she sent Ramaj to the party with the petition, as she said that is not part of her role in the county.
“As the chief election officer in Sweetwater County, I do not oppose or support any petitions that come through. So I would not send anybody out anywhere with a petition,” Lane said. “The only petitions I’m involved in, if it’s a local petition, I do have to approve it for it to go on the ballot.”
She thanked Commissioner Thoman for bringing this issue to her attention. She again clarified that she does not send people out with petitions.
“I do not send anyone out with petitions to any events, as that is not my role in this process,” she said.
Appearing on “Let’s Talk” with Al Harris in October, Sweetwater County Assessor Dave Divis expressed concerns over The People’s Initiative to Reduce Property Taxes Through Homeowner’s Exemption. He said that his main issue with the ballot initiative is there isn’t a need requirement, and it would exempt taxes by 50% across the board. Divis said that the proposal could end up impacting funding to education and other local services traditionally funded by property taxes.
Other Business
The Sweetwater County commissioners unanimously voted for Keaton West to serve as the board chairman for the second year in a row. Additionally, the commissioners unanimously designated the Green River Star as the county’s newspaper of record.
