Dear editor:

Wyoming’s constitution and the United States Constitution work together to protect local self-governance and the right of communities to speak collectively. At the federal level, the First Amendment safeguards not only individual speech, but also the freedom of association — the right of people and elected officials to organize, coordinate, and petition government together. The U.S. Supreme Court has long recognized that collective advocacy is an “inseparable aspect” of free speech and assembly.

Statewide associations such as the Wyoming County Commissioners Association (WCCA) exist squarely within these constitutional protections. The WCCA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization governed by elected Wyoming county commissioners. Its policy positions are developed through a grassroots process, funded by member counties, and focused on helping counties comply with state law, share expertise, and collectively engage the Wyoming Legislature. This is textbook expressive association protected by the First Amendment.

Efforts to prohibit membership in such associations, restrict their ability to advocate, or punish collective speech do not strengthen transparency or accountability. Instead, they undermine constitutional governance by isolating local officials, weakening collaboration and compliance, and concentrating power at the state level — farther from the people those governments serve.

We each served three terms as Park County commissioners. During our tenure, we consistently supported WCCA membership because we saw its value firsthand. We voted annually to pay Park County’s WCCA dues, served on its educational committees, and sat on its board.

The WCCA played a critical role in securing federal Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding — essential revenue for Park County, where vast federal land holdings limit our tax base but not our service obligations. The association has also consistently advocated before the Wyoming State Legislature for county funding through Direct Distribution and Consensus funding, revenues historically derived from sales, use, and mineral taxes. At times, these funds represented as much as 15% of Park County’s operating budget.

The WCCA has also assisted counties with statutory solutions when local needs arose, including helping Park County pursue a statutory change that allowed the Law Enforcement Center to house inmates from Red Lodge and receive compensation — supporting regional cooperation while strengthening public safety resources. We are confident current Park County commissioners can point to similar examples of tangible support and expertise provided by the WCCA.

If the state Legislature can silence counties acting together, it can just as easily silence them one by one. That outcome conflicts not only with the First Amendment’s text, but with the foundational principle that government functions best when it remains closest to the people. True conservatism — and true constitutional fidelity — requires trust in local leaders and respect for their right to govern themselves and to speak with a collective voice.

Former Park County commissioners,

Thomas “Bucky” Hall (served 2004-2012)

Joe Tilden (2008-2019)