[October 11, 2009]

EDITORIAL: Rural residents need class in government

Oct 11, 2009 (Wyoming Tribune-Eagle - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- "If I live outside the city limits ... does that also mean that I am not expected to be subject to this (ban on using cell phones in vehicles)? ... If it affects me, I should be allowed to be part of the community voice that speaks out on my viewpoint, right?" -- Comment at WyomingNews.com Come, children. It is time for your civics lesson.

Much has been said in recent weeks by rural residents of Laramie County about their "right" to have a say in ordinances developed by the city of Cheyenne.

They pay taxes in the city. They work and recreate here. And its laws affect them. So they should have a say -- in special elections and, apparently, in the election of the City Council.

Now the Laramie County Commission has set a meeting for Monday with M. Lee Hasenauer (the rural resident who launched the petition for an election on the cell phone ban) as well as county attorney Mark Voss and state Rep. Pete Illoway and state Sen. Tony Ross, both R-Cheyenne.

Its intent? To discuss legislative avenues to providing rural residents, in particular owners of businesses in Cheyenne, input into city affairs.

Now there's a waste of time -- and public dollars -- and it is appalling that County Commission Chairman Jeff Ketcham and Mr. Illoway and Mr. Ross would even bother with such foolishness.

The fact of the matter is that political subdivisions -- cities, towns, counties, etc. -- are set up to perform certain governmental functions for their residents. Those who live in rural Laramie County, for example, would never stand for the people of Albany County demanding input into laws here. Nor do they respond particularly well when the city seeks to annex land that encroaches on rural areas.

Indeed, there is some irony here. For about a decade, rural residents here have demanded that the city back off on annexations, that it get out of their affairs. Now they want to tell the city what to do? Right.

It also is important to point out that when people buy things in Cheyenne, they are not paying "city" taxes. Those are state (four cents) and county (two optional cents) sales taxes that are distributed to the various entities.

Still, if rural residents want greater input into city affairs, they do have a couple of options. The most obvious is to allow themselves to be annexed into the city. They then would enjoy city services and earn the right to vote in city elections.

Or they could push for a joint city-county government that actually would reduce duplication of services and provide more bang for local tax dollars. Let Mr. Illoway and Mr. Ross sponsor that at the Legislature and see how rural residents here -- or even Mr. Ketcham -- react.

Monday's meeting lends credence to the idea that rural Laramie County residents have a "right" to take part in Cheyenne's governance. They do not. Going forward with it will prove that the commission and at least two legislators need to return to high school for a class in basic government.

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