During a recent government meeting, concerns were raised regarding the financial implications of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities (WAM) membership and its lobbying activities. A member highlighted the $25,000 membership fee and an additional $20,000 for conference costs, questioning the necessity of these expenses given that mandated training is available online. The member characterized WAM as a lobbying group that advocates for legislation that may not align with taxpayer interests, citing specific instances where WAM opposed bills that could have benefited citizens.

One notable example discussed was House Bill 45045, which was presented as a victory for the city but was criticized for locking in taxes at historically high levels and instituting an annual increase rate potentially exceeding pre-COVID inflation. The member expressed skepticism about WAM's role in supporting this bill, suggesting that it ultimately did not serve the public's best interests.

Further scrutiny was directed at three specific bills listed on the WAM website. The first was a proposed personal property tax exemption that could have returned $140 million to citizens, which WAM opposed. The second bill aimed to empower citizens to hold local governments accountable for violations of state statutes, a measure that WAM also opposed. Lastly, a bill proposing to limit tax levies for special districts based on their reserves was similarly rejected by WAM.

The member concluded by questioning the overall benefits of WAM's activities, suggesting that they may be counterproductive to the interests of the taxpayers. Additionally, the meeting touched on training initiatives for newly elected officials, with a proposal for a training program from Dan Clark of Montana State College, which was met with some enthusiasm but also prompted reflection on previous successful training efforts conducted by the city attorney.