JACKSON, Wyo. — It’s a statistic that gets trotted out again and again: Teton County is the richest county in the U.S. What does this concentration of wealth mean to candidates for local government positions?
Ahead of the Aug. 18 primary election, Buckrail sent a five-question survey to the nine candidates for Teton County Board of County Commissioners vying to move to the general election. So far, we’ve posted their thoughts about current housing policies and local transportation. Today, compare and contrast the way each respondent tackled the following prompt:
What are three ideas you have for channeling local wealth for the betterment of the community?
Buckrail sent the survey to all nine candidates: Democrats Dr. Brent Blue, Karyn Chin and Ali Dunford; incumbents Wes Gardner, Mark Newcomb and Luther Propst; Independent Alex Muromcew; and Republicans Melchor Dylan Moore and Vicky O’Donoghue. In alphabetical order below, see unedited answers from the candidates.
Blue:
We need access fees for private jets landing at our airport. We also need to take part or all of the parking fees at the airport. Both of these are totally feasible. We absolutely need a transfer tax and need to lobby the legislature hard on this point.
Chin:
Teton County has extraordinary wealth. The question isn’t whether we have enough resources — it’s whether our policies ensure that more of that wealth benefits the people who make this community work.
First, I’d use Amendment A to shift more of the tax burden toward seasonal and second homes while providing relief for people who actually live here year-round.
Second, I’d work with our legislative delegation and local partners to pursue new funding tools for workforce housing, including a Real Estate Transfer Tax if Wyoming law eventually makes that possible. We need funding sources that grow alongside our real estate market instead of relying solely on property taxes paid by year-round residents.
Third, I want to make sure growth pays its own way. Whether we’re talking about housing, transportation, water infrastructure, or other public services, new development should contribute to the costs it creates instead of shifting those costs onto working families and year-round residents. Growth should strengthen our community — not ask our community to subsidize it.
Teton County has always been an extraordinarily generous community, and I hope that never changes. But we can’t rely on philanthropy alone to solve structural challenges. Workforce housing, transportation, and infrastructure need stable, predictable public funding that doesn’t depend on whether donors have a good fundraising year. Philanthropy should help us do more — not replace the government’s responsibility to invest in the foundations of a healthy community.
Dunford:
Most funding tools would require action at the State Legislature – Amendment A, a real estate transfer tax, tourism tax reform. What can we do locally? We need a shift in mindset and culture toward radical generosity. Just like Andrew Carnegie 150 years ago used his vast wealth to fund thousands of public libraries, we need a similar level of moral ambition from Teton County’s billionaires and centimillionaires.
Gardner:
Sure, it’s true that we live in the richest county in the United States, but it’s also true that we live in one of least-taxed states in the nation.
The most obvious mechanism for channeling local wealth is through taxation. From where I sit, the County sets reasonable and sustainable property and sales tax rates. Keep in mind that only roughly one in six property tax dollars goes to the County while the other five fund our schools — both locally and across the state. Teton is the only county in Wyoming that doesn’t exercise close to their full mill allowance of 12.
Time and again, our community has shown its commitment to funding SPET initiatives through the collection of local sales tax. It is estimated that visitors pay around 50% of these receipts, meaning that for every dollar we charge ourselves, local governments receive roughly two in revenue. Not only has the community stepped up to support popular projects like water quality, conservation and housing, but also the more mundane ones like the Justice Center and the bus barn. The current SPET funding streams will be satisfied sometime in 2028, meaning the next group of local elected officials will have the challenge of picking the next round of initiatives and tax options to put on the ballot. I look forward to that challenge.
Local philanthropic efforts to Save the Block and secure the Kelly Parcel for Grand Teton National Park come naturally to Teton County pocketbooks. The next major philanthropic opportunity centers around housing. Generation of truly affordable units in Teton County is hard work and requires significant subsidy. Habitat for Humanity and the Community Housing Trust are poised to develop nearly four hundred truly affordable units in Northern South Park. While my vote on NSP was not an easy one (see votewesgardner.com for more details), I voted to approve the LDRs in part because I believe in this community’s ability to raise funds for these incredible housing partners. I look forward to leading these efforts and stand as the only candidate in this race who is willing to consider the use of public dollars to support these gargantuan efforts.
Moore:
The Teton County Board of County Commissioners should encourage greater private investment in community infrastructure by ensuring that organizations advocating for new amenities also help finance them. Nonprofit organizations seeking expanded recreational infrastructure should be encouraged to contribute a greater share of the construction and long-term maintenance costs through public-private partnerships rather than relying primarily on county taxpayers.
Muromcew:
We already have some great ideas for channeling local wealth for the betterment of the community. The first is Old Bill’s (and yes, Old Bill is a real person in this community). Old Bill’s has raised over $300mn for this community since its inception. Second we have family philanthropy such as the Hughes Foundation and Cummings Foundation that fund specific community services in the Valley. I hope their actions motivate more families to launch similar initiatives. Overall, this is a very generous community across all income levels.
Newcomb:
One, leave room on every Special Purpose Excise Tax (SPET) ballot for at least one initiative that taps into the core values of the community. The sales tax revenue collected can leverage philanthropic contributions to magnify the project size and amplify the benefits. Examples include historic preservation like saving the Café Genevieve block and the Open Space Preservation item used to secure a recreation/conservation lease for the Munger Parcel. Two, ensure local government is supportive of “friends” groups that bring philanthropy to the table that benefits the community such as Friends of the Library, Friends of the Sheriff Department, and Friends of Teton Search and Rescue. Similarly, ensure local government is nimble enough to accept targeted private donations like playground equipment at Mike Yokel, the Boulder Park at Phil Baux Park, pickle ball courts at Miller Park. Three, specific to housing, create opportunities for nonprofit developers like Habitat for Humanity and the Housing Trust to do projects such as Grove Phase 3, Parkside, King Street and Hansen Street. Many philanthropists prefer to support housing through these private organizations that have a clear mission and a proven track record. Northern South Park (NSP) is a tremendous opportunity for these organizations to deploy philanthropic capital. Some say $400 million in philanthropy is needed. That’s incorrect. Habitat, for example, has a financing model that allows them to build units in NSP for a subsidy less than $200,000/unit. 190 plus units at that level of subsidy per unit will require roughly $40 million in total subsidy, $15 million of which is already secured. The Housing Trust as well is eminently capable of efficiently building very livable housing at below market costs and has strong philanthropic backing.
O’Donoghue:
Local wealth is an important community resource, and residents should not be treated negatively simply because they have been financially successful. Many contribute generously, employ local people and care deeply about Teton County. The goal should be to invite participation and build trust.
First, I would encourage partnerships among residents, businesses, employers, nonprofits and government to support clearly defined needs such as youth programs, workforce housing, childcare, transportation and vocational opportunities. I am particularly concerned that our young people receive the attention, training and opportunities they need to build lives here.
Second, charitable and public-private projects should have specific goals, transparent budgets and measurable results. Donors and taxpayers should be able to see where money went and what it accomplished. Accountability encourages continued generosity.
Third, we should strengthen local businesses and workers. When legally and financially appropriate, local businesses should have a fair opportunity to compete for public work. Employers can also help through housing assistance, transportation programs, apprenticeships and training.
Through my driving school, I work with young people and families from across the economic spectrum. I have learned that respect and personal relationships matter. We should not divide this community into the wealthy and everyone else. We should bring people together around shared responsibilities and practical projects.
Channeling local wealth should mean voluntary partnership, responsible investment and measurable community benefit — not simply finding another source of money to spend.
Propst:
Promote a Culture of Community. Whenever I go to the library, I think of the late Gil Ordway – a friend, mentor, and an important supporter in my life and professional career. He was someone of means who fully embraced the community of Jackson and contributed both time and money generously to both community needs and conservation. Gil is one of many residents (or visitors) of means who have strengthened this community immeasurably. Both local government and our community at large need to strengthen the culture among wealthy people who call Jackson home to support both the environment and the community.
Enact Equitable taxation. This is a matter for the legislature; however, a real estate transfer tax applied to houses with a sales price of say perhaps $5 million or more would reduce pressure on property taxes and generate significant revenue. Also, the legislature should implement Amendment A from 2024, allowing counties to impose a modestly higher property tax rate for second homes than primary residences.
Defend the Public Good. Most of us rely on public lands, public schools, public trails, public health services, and public infrastructure such as roads and pathways. When emergencies happen, we rely on public safety professionals: firefighters, dispatchers, deputies, and emergency responders. These are the systems and pillars that hold our community together. An essential role of local government is to ensure that these public systems remain strong and that the public interest guides decision-making. The test of leadership is whether elected officials withstand pressure when private interests (whether wealthy or not) and the public interest diverge. Our task is to ensure that these shared systems remain strong enough that the communal contract still holds. In a place like Jackson Hole, the most important power may simply be the power of elected officials to say no when a private proposal conflicts with the public interest: No to projects that unduly compromise water quality, wildlife, infrastructure capacity, or public access to public lands. And no to developments that undermine affordable housing and the community’s long-term interests.
