6 - GENERAL ELECTION 2022, JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, October 19, 2022
County commission: 7 candidates, vote for 3 Brenden Cronin
people need to recognize that without the Latino population this county wouldn’t function. So, what can the county do? Be open and honest with the other 80% of this county and point out the fact that the Latino population keeps this county running.
Job: Highway avalanche forecaster Affiliation: Independent Lives in: Southern South Park
Top issues:
What sets you apart?
1. Affordable/ workforce housing 2. Over-tourism 3. Funding social services 4. Traffic
I have been blessed and fortunate during the last three years to live in an affordable unit managed by the Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust. During the last year my partner and I were able to purchase a Workforce home through the Jackson/Teton County Affordable Housing Authority. I have lived in my car (four different times) during the past 17 years to make it work in this valley, and I understand the struggle that many in our working class face every single day. As a public servant and a critical service provider I recognize the importance of spending the public’s money wisely. What I can offer, you the voters of Teton County, is the perspective of a current member of the working class or workforce of this community because I, like many of you, live in that world every single day.
What is your view on taxation and the county’s role in providing community services? We need taxes to fund our government. Taxes need to be addressed and the amount reassessed to take into consideration whether or not individuals and families live in this county year-round. I am open to the idea of a cap on property taxes, but we need to be realistic about who and what properties get that break. For homes 2,500 square feet (not including ADUs) or less a property tax cap seems appropriate.
If your top issue(s) was not listed, please explain below
What is the most important conservation issue facing Teton County? Water quality. It effects our community, wildlife and potentially the economy. If visitors associate Teton County as a place with poor water quality, it may lead to a decrease in tourism dollars.
What’s the first thing you would do to help improve water quality? Address the poor water quality in Hoback Junction. Additionally, I would work to find more funding for septic system inspections.
COURTESY PHOTO
Brenden Cronin
that is sent to the public sets the tone for what travelers can expect when they come to Teton County. If we let visitors know how special this place is to us their respect for this place will increase.
What can the county do to support the Is the Travel and Tourism Board part of the Latino community, about 20% of the population? tourism solution or the problem? Why? It can be part of the solution. The information
The mindset of some people needs to change, and
Wes Gardner
deploy more lodging tax revenue for mitigating visitor impacts. We live in one of the most beautiful and most visited regions in the country. The mountains, rivers and forests are all the promotion we need. Lodging tax dollars could find a much better use if we were allowed to deploy them to fund our local governments.
Job: Owner of Teton Toys Affiliation: Democrat Lives in: Game Creek
Top issues:
What can the county do to support the Latino community, about 20% of the population?
1. Affordable/workforce housing 2. Traffic 3. Funding social services 4. Senior housing/care
There are a number of ways the county can improve its relationship with the Latino community. First and foremost, all public documents, surveys and correspondence should include Spanish translations. Second, the county can support organizations like One22 and our local churches to encourage members of underrepresented groups to pursue leadership positions. Achieving a diversity of representation not only opens the door for better communication but also sets the stage for others in the Latino community to serve as well. The county is currently negotiating a number of housing opportunities. Commissioners must ensure that in exchange for any concessions, the community receives assurances of affordability tied to income levels.
What is your view on taxation and the county’s role in providing community services? For better or worse, we live in a state with limited options to fund critical community services. Recently, as tax revenues from natural resources have plummeted to historic lows, the state government has pressured local assessors to squeeze every penny of value from property owners. During the pandemic, skyrocketing values driven by global market pressures have further exacerbated the strain of property taxes on homeowners. I support continued efforts to diversify Teton County’s revenue stream. Adding a seventh penny of sales tax would allow the county to significantly reduce property taxes, shifting the onus of local funding from residents to visitors. I support all specific purpose excise tax (SPET) measures and increasing the lodging tax for the same reason. With decisive and creative leadership we can both reduce property taxes and increase funding for the services at the heart of our community vision.
What is the most important conservation issue facing Teton County? With soaring home values and rental costs, we find ourselves increasingly unable to house our workforce locally. The recent Integrated Transportation Plan Update suggests that as many as 8,000 workers commute to and from Jackson each day. These trips represent a significant percentage of our annual greenhouse gas emissions. As a member of the START board I have focused on increasing the frequency of commuter service, opening the window of commuter service operation, and the ability for employers to purchase passes on behalf of their employees, making transit a more viable option for these thousands of commuters.
What’s the first thing you would do to help improve water quality? Situated as we are at the headwaters of the Snake River, I am committed to ensuring that the water flowing out of our county is as clean as the water flowing in. While there are a number of factors contributing to local water pollution, far and away the most significant is improperly sited septic systems along the river’s floodplain. Additionally, the systems
As the county continues to create and manage Affordable and Workforce housing it needs to work alongside the private sector to accomplish these goals. Also, we need to work toward a tiered system of housing so people and families can “move up” in terms of housing, from one-bedroom units for a couple to two- to three-πbedroom units as their family grows. The housing also needs to support the lifestyle that many of us moved here for; we need storage for gear, stairwells large enough to carry bikes and other equipment up and down and a parking space for every bedroom in the house. Housing security alleviates a huge amount of stress in people’s daily lines and allows them to become more involved with their community.
What sets you apart? Wes Gardner serving both Teton Village and The Aspens are aging and potentially dangerous. Any type of failure lasting more than a few hours in either of these systems would result in untreated sewage being discharged directly into the aquifer. I propose the deployment of a high-tech water treatment plant on the west bank of the Snake River. This investment would solve both of these critical issues.
Is the Travel and Tourism Board part of the tourism solution or the problem? Why? On the one hand, Jackson Hole has relied and will always rely on tourism as our primary economic driver. On the other, it doesn’t take a spreadsheet to realize the dangers of overtourism for both our ecological and social ecosystems. In recent years the Travel and Tourism Board has shifted most of its focus from promotion to education, encouraging our visitors to behave responsibly. I appreciate this shift in strategy and encourage its continued expansion. My main critique has less to do with the work of the TTB and more to do with the primary funding mechanism behind it. The lodging tax represents an enormous windfall for our local governments, but only 40% is allowed to support mitigating visitor impacts. I support both increasing the amount of the tax (we can double it to 4% according to state statute) and continuing efforts in Cheyenne to
I am compassionate as I consider the struggles facing our community. I am creative in developing working solutions. I am committed to doing whatever it takes to get the job done. My successes, whether in academics, business or life, have depended on my steadfast belief that all problems are solvable. If elected, I will act with creativity, compassion, creativity and commitment to ensure that Teton County remains the special place that we all cherish.
If your top issue(s) was not listed, please explain below The top issue facing any Teton County commissioner is the development of affordable workforce housing. Over the past couple of years we have seen dramatic decreases in the number of affordable rental units provided by the private sector. Unprecedented global market pressures have transformed entire swaths of town, as previously affordable homes and rental units disappeared only to be replaced by largely vacant investment properties. Thousands of residents have retreated down the road or have simply left the area for lack of housing. If we are to avoid the fate of so many other resort towns whose workforces have been priced out, we must act boldly in the face of current opportunities. If elected I pledge to always seek a fair deal for the community, thoroughly and thoughtfully examining the details in any negotiation. The devil lies in the details. I’ll be there too, making sure that any concessions aren’t given away to developers without our getting a fair deal in return.