Weekend Poll: What Is The Biggest Issue In Cheyenne in 2024?

Last week we asked our readers and listeners what the biggest issues are facing Wyoming voters in the 2024 election.

This is, after all, an election year.

A plurality--a little over a third of the over 700 people who responded--cited high property taxes. Diversifying the state economy came in second, with others voting for various issues ranging from legalizing cannabis to housing to gun rights, among many others.

So this week we are narrowing the question to Cheyenne and Laramie County. Here are some of the issues we came up with:

-housing seems like an obvious problem. Whether you are talking about rental units or houses for sale, the demand outstrips the supply. Cheyenne added more new residents than any other community in the state between July of 2022 and July of 2023, over 500 folks. We haven't seen any more recent numbers, but there is no reason to think that trend is changing. And it isn't just about housing--it's about affordable housing too.

-the local economy. Most folks have jobs, the unemployment rate is fairly low. But based on what we hear from charitable organizations, many people are having a hard time making ends meet. While this isn't limited to Cheyenne, it is an issue for many residents.

-crime. As much as we like to think of Cheyenne as a relatively safe place, some reports say otherwise. For example, one report finds that Cheyenne is safer than only 5 percent of U.S. cities (no, that isn't a typo) with crime rates far higher than the rest of Wyoming.

-education. Always a top priority for any community. As with housing, Cheyenne is dealing with increases in students, stretching resources, and providing challenges for local schools.

-drugs. Meth and fentanyl generate a lot of headlines and drive crime rates. And fentanyl in particular kills people. If you count alcohol as a drug, drunk driving is a huge problem as well.

--potholes. These may not seem like a big deal until you hit one hard enough to damage your car. They seem like an eternal problem in Cheyenne, due in large part to our climate. But they are seemingly everywhere.

--healthcare. Rightly or wrongly, a lot of residents seem to think that you have to drive to Colorado to get good healthcare. Wyoming as a state tends to have issues with healthcare, so it's not a ''Cheyenne problem." Do you see it as a big issue here?

There are probably several others that could be mentioned. But instead of trying to list every single possible issue, we'll let you write in your choice as well. For example, on our state survey last week, illegal immigration and access to abortion got several mentions. So..if you don't see what you believe to be the biggest issue--write it in!

We'll publish the results of our survey next week!