CASPER, WY — On Monday, fire and emergency‑medical leaders from across Natrona County gathered to alert voters that Proposition 1 – a ballot measure that would exempt half of a homeowner’s primary‑residence value from property taxation – could leave fire‑EMS agencies without the money needed to keep stations open and crews staffed.
Local officials detail potential impacts
Interim Chief Devin Garvin of the Casper Fire‑EMS Department opened the briefing with a reminder that property tax revenue is a cornerstone of fire‑and‑EMS funding. “For cities and towns, property tax is one part of fire and EMS funding, but the Natrona County Fire Protection District relies heavily on it,” Garvin said. “The effect of Proposition 1 will be different for each department depending on its tax base and existing exemptions.”
Chief Wil Gay of the Mills Fire Department, Chief Howard Oden of the Natrona County Fire Protection District, and Chief Mark Cornett of the Evansville Fire Department echoed those concerns, noting that reduced revenues could force “service trims or station closures.” While the exact magnitude of any cut is uncertain, the chiefs warned that even modest reductions could cascade through the county’s mutual‑aid network, which underpins responses to structure fires, wildfires, medical emergencies and more.
Recent staffing strains illustrate vulnerability
The Natrona County Fire Protection District’s Station 13, serving the county’s east side, has already faced temporary closures dozens of times in 2025 due to staffing shortages. If permanent funding cuts force that station to shut down, the burden would shift to neighboring departments, especially the Evansville Fire Department, increasing response times and stretching limited resources.
Chief Gay illustrated the challenge with a 2022 Mills apartment fire. “My one crew of two or three people covers an ambulance, a structure engine and a wildland engine, so whatever call comes in first is the rig they jump on,” he explained. When the fire broke out, his crew was already tied up on a medical call. “If they’d had to transport that patient, there’d have been 20–30 minutes where we were relying on the county and the city to basically fight that fire until our own crews could even get there,” Gay said.
Casper Fire‑EMS response data
Casper Fire‑EMS reported 9,661 calls in 2025, including 176 fires, 7,135 medical emergencies and 2,350 general service requests. More than 51 % of those incidents overlapped, requiring personnel to juggle simultaneous emergencies.
Proposition 1 supporters push back
Proponents of the measure argue that Wyoming homeowners are over‑burdened by property taxes and that local governments have built up revenue reserves since 2019. Former gubernatorial campaign manager Rich Weber dismissed the fire chiefs’ warnings as “crying wolf,” while former state representative and Proposition 1 advocate Marti Halverson said counties can make responsible fiscal adjustments without cutting essential public‑safety services.
Both sides agree that the ballot will be a key issue on Nov. 3, and the fire chiefs urged voters to consider the downstream effects on emergency response when deciding.
What voters need to know
Proposition 1 appears on the statewide ballot on Nov. 3. If approved, it would exempt 50 % of the assessed value of a qualifying homeowner’s primary residence from property taxation. Voters should weigh the potential tax relief against the possibility of reduced funding for fire and EMS services that protect families and neighborhoods across Natrona County.
Original reporting: Oil City News (Casper WY) — read the source article.
