Letter to the Editor: Is this even legal?

Dear Editor:
I am writing this letter concerning an article I read in this paper dated March 28, 2024. In this letter I am questioning the legality of what the town of Manderson is doing with their finances. I read that the police are trying to “push” for an e-citation system. As I further read, I was very troubled to read that this town is “$55,123.19 under their budget.” Councilman Patrick further stated, “What it means is that in the next four months when the fiscal year ends, to break even, with the average ticket of $150, we would need 92 tickets or more.” Patrick went on to state “that he doesn’t see any issue with it because May is coming up and that is when traffic typically increases. And that figuring $20,000 for the new system and the average ticket at $150 he wondered about an additional 133 tickets to pay for the system.”
This is what I believe to be quota seeking, which under “W.S. 31-5-1215” is against the law. Section A states that no state, county, municipal or other governmental entity engaged in the enforcement of any motor vehicle laws of this state or any local ordinance governing motor vehicle traffic, may establish or maintain any policy formally or informally, requiring an any officer to meet a quota or suggest, formally or informally, a quota for any such officer.” It is the informal part that I believe the town of Manderson has violated Wyoming state law by using the exact number of tickets needed to fill their budget and get this system.
Now I am not saying that anyone who speeds through Manderson shouldn’t be held accountable. On the contrary, I believe they should. However, I also believe that the financial end of ticket writing should come after the budget and not before. It is also ironic that GPS routes anyone going to Yellowstone through Manderson, leaving tourists as a sort of prey for that local government. I urge any representatives reading this article to hold a meeting and hold the council of Manderson accountable for seeking quotas through the extortion of our tourists. If they are not meeting their budget, they should be looking into other ways to make cutbacks, and they should also use the money generated to make improvements to their own community.
Respectfully,
Craig Meier
Basin