Wyoming Senate Approves 50 Percent Residential Property Tax Cut

The Wyoming Senate on Tuesday signed off on a 50 percent cut in residential property taxes up to $1 million.

You can read Senate File 69 here. It passed the Senate on a 23-8 vote and now goes to the Wyoming House.. A residential property tax bill passed by the Wyoming House, House Bill 169, likewise cuts residential property taxes by 50 percent. But that bill has a backfill for local governments of 50 percent, with the money coming from the state's "rainy day fund" and general fund money.

Senate File 69 has no backfill.

Both Senate File 69 and House Bill 169 would expire after two years.

Senators last week had reduced the 50 percent tax to to 25 percent. But Sen. Tara Nethercott [R-Laramie County] put forward an amendment to restore the 50 percent figure, which passed.

Supporter Calls The Bill "Historic Property Tax Relief"

In debate on the bill, Sen. Tim Salazar [R-Fremont County} called Senate File 69 "historic property tax relief." He went on to say that for years he has tried to provide real property tax relief. ''Here it is. Here it is. I will vote yes. And today to my constituents, I have kept my promise to you."

But Sen. John Kolb [R-Sweetwater County] called the bill a "one size fits all approach."  He added that the mindset seems to be that everyone should "get on this train, and if you don't like it, tough luck. Well, I don't like it." Kolb said that while some local governments have been irresponsible, Rock Springs and Sweetwater County have made changes and are not in the same category.

Here is how the Senate voted on the bill:

Ayes: Anderson, Barlow, Boner, Cooper, Crago, Crum, Dockstader, Driskill, French, Gierau, Hutchings, Ide, Landen, Laursen, McKeown, Nethercott, Olsen, Pearson, Salazar, Scott, Smith, Steinmetz, Biteman
Nays: Brennan, Case, Hicks, Jones, Kolb, Rothfuss, Schuler, Pappas

County Commissioner: "It Is A Sad Day For Local Governments"

When asked to comment on how the bill would impact local government if it becomes law, Laramie County Commissioner Linda Heath said "It is a sad day for local governments and the services we are required to provide.'' Of Senate File 69's prospects in the Wyoming House, she predicted ''It will sail through there faster than a Wyoming wind!"