Blaine County Voters Push Back on Higher Taxes — and Win!

Blaine County Republicans Applaud Voters for Rejecting Higher Taxes and Demanding Accountability – Saving Taxpayers a Huge $60 Million on BCRD Levy

The Blaine County Republican Central Committee (BCRCC) applauds voters for standing up against the growing tax-and-spend culture that’s making life increasingly unaffordable for working families and retirees in Blaine County.

The results of Tuesday’s election mark an important turning point: the start of an honest and overdue conversation about how local governments spend beyond their means, and how much more taxpayers are being asked to shoulder.

The defeat of the Blaine County Recreation District levy was a major victory for taxpayers. The proposal would have tripled the burden on property owners in order to increase funding for the Recreation District. This burden would have continued forever without a clear and transparent plan for how the money was going to be spent.

“Voters made it clear they value accountability over unlimited government growth,” said Heather Lauer, BCRCC Chair. “This result isn’t about opposing recreation. It’s about demanding fiscal responsibility and transparency when it comes to taxpayer dollars. We will continue to be watchdogs of the Recreation District and other taxing entities moving forward.”

Blaine County Republicans also commended voters for rejecting the Bellevue Local Option Tax.

“Bellevue is not a resort community,” Lauer said. “It’s a community of hard-working citizens who should not have to pay more just to take their families out to dinner or buy a beer for a buddy.” 

Lauer continued, “Despite what leadership has been telling voters, locals pay LOTs too, adding to their everyday expenses. Voters wisely recognized that this tax would have hurt local residents without meaningfully improving city services. Voters saw through this tax grab and stood up for local residents.”

Although the Blaine County School District’s supplemental levy passed, support dropped compared to previous levies — down from 74% in May 2024 to 66% this time.

“Supporting education and demanding fiscal responsibility and accountability aren’t mutually exclusive,” said Lauer. “This should be a wake-up call for school district leadership to ensure every dollar is spent wisely, transparently, and with full community input.”

Finally, BCRCC congratulates the newly elected Republican officials in Carey: Mayor-elect Logan Davis, Councilman Clayton Mecham, and Councilman Tyler Norman.

“The results in Carey show that conservative leadership and common-sense values continue to resonate in Blaine County’s rural and working communities,” Lauer said.

The Blaine County Republican Central Committee represents grassroots Republicans across Blaine County who believe in fiscal responsibility, individual liberty, and government accountability. BCRCC works to elect principled leaders and advocate for policies that keep Blaine County affordable, fair, and free.