JACKSON, Wyo. — Katie Smits is running unopposed for the position of County Treasurer, hoping to secure a third term at the helm of Teton County’s finances.
Smits was first elected in 2018, after joining with the treasurer’s office as the financial accountant. In a conversation with Buckrail, Smits laid out her campaign priorities as she prepares for another election cycle.
“This is what I’ve always done for my entire career,” Smits said. “For 30 years, I’ve been doing governmental and nonprofit accounting and finance. … I like my job and I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I hope that people can appreciate the job that the treasurer and the office does. It’s probably one of the busiest offices in all of Teton County.”
Overseeing a team of nine people in additon to herself, Smits’ office collects property and sales taxes, handles motor vehicle registration, and invests the County’s money, among other duties. She said more than 15,000 property tax bills are sent out annually, and more than 42,000 vehicles are registered in Teton County, keeping her team very busy. She noted that handling the County’s portfolio is one of her favorite parts of the job, and takes up more time than one might think.
As she considers a new term, she’s interested in evaluating the team’s processes for efficiency; she noted that moving some operations from adding machines over to Microsoft Excel has been a big improvement during her tenure.
Smits wants constituents and colleagues to know that she has an open-door policy. She is happy to answer questions and offer guidance about things like complex property tax forms.
“I’ve helped probably 75 to 100 people this year with property tax paperwork,” she said, adding, “People get confused about the different prop tax relief programs. It’s great that there are these programs but it’s really tough when they’re all commingled at the same time.”
