Recovered property tax reduction of the bill passes to the Wyoming Senate, heads to the House – Wyofile

Cheyenne-iconic project, which offers to all homeowners in Wyoming two-year, 50% reduction in ownership taxes adopted the state senate.

Senate Dossier 69, “Exemption from the ownership tax of homeowners”, adopted in 23-8 votes per third reading on Tuesday. Last week, the Senate voted to reduce the rate of ownership tax relief to 25% of the estimated value of up to $ 1 million. This week, the Senate restored the bill to its original form, approved by a change brought by Senator Tara Niderkot, R-Meenne, with 19-12 votes.

This amendment returned the tax relief to 50% for all homeowners without filling the state and two -year sunset date.

Senate President Bo Bitman, R-Ranchester, said on the floor that the version where Tuesday was on Tuesday was Wyoomingitis deserves.

“The Wyoming people are tired of apologies. They want actions and want us to deliver them, finally, “Bitman said, adding that the Senate has been discussing the relief of ownership tax for years.

“I have repeatedly said that the most difficult thing about Wyoming’s legislation is to reduce taxes,” he said. “Hundreds of millions of dollars fly from here every time we make the budget.”

Senate Vice President Tim Salazar, R-RiverTon, said it was the Senate, fulfilling his promise to provide such a necessary relief to his constituents.

“We have just undergone historical benefits for property tax. We didn’t do it with trumpets. We didn’t do it with Fanfare, but we betrayed it, “said Salazar.

Other senators are worried that tax reduction can affect the smaller ones, more rural communities – many of which have not experienced increasing increases in ownership tax – in ways in which it can affect the counties where the property values ​​are have increased with double numbers in recent years.

Senator Stacey Jones, R-R-Rock Springs, suggested an unsuccessful change in the use of state savings to fill or pay for local authorities for 12.5% ​​of the lost revenue in reduction. In Rock Springs, ownership taxes increased by only 19.5% from 2019 to 2023. Jones said a 50% reduction there would devastate the local civic center, the Coji Center, Senior Center and Services such as Snow Removal.

“What you do today is affecting all the communities in Wyoming,” Jones said.

However, Senator Chris Rotfus, D-Laramie, who voted against the bill, also voted against Jones’ amendment. Rotfus said the legislative account for stabilizing stabilization or state savings were not designed to pay tax reduction to citizens.

Others said they did not support filling, but for another reason: to show the citizens that the taxes they pay really go to local services and when they are shortened are also these services.

Senator Larry Hicks, R-Baggs, said he could not vote for the SF 69 because he created a solution “One Size, corresponds to all” for the whole Wyoming.

Instead, he said that the Senate could choose to reduce only the evaluated levies of the state mill without entering the evaluated cities.

“We could have entered … of ownership taxes for which this legislative body is responsible, and stayed in our lane,” Hicks said. “But we couldn’t stay in our tape. We said, “We will usurp all these local authorities. We will have a paternalistic point of view and provide relief to ownership tax. Damn with local authorities. “

Senator Eric Barlow, R-Gillette, has presented an amendment that will allow taxpayers to pay the full amount of ownership taxes without exemption, if they decide to do so.

“I hear from people who say I need services in my community. I want to have a way to pay, if there is a release, a reduction, “Barlow said. “This states that if you receive the tax account and say it is a 50% release, I can pay the full amount without the release.”

This amendment was accepted with a voice.

There is no “filling” state

Senate leaders told the media shortly after the vote that they did not eliminate the filling of the state “to make a point.” On the floor, some senators have indicated that the removal of this filling will harm urban budgets and reduce local services.

“Our goal was not to inflict pain or make a point. We make no sense in tax policy, “Bitman said. “This affects people’s lives, affects the pocket book. Good tax policy stands on its own. … if you are going to reduce taxes, reduce taxes. You do not take money from one pocket, put them in the other and call it a tax reduction. And this is the bottom line with the filling. “

Nethercott added that “not a state fiscal point of view” to fill the lost revenue with state funds. Local authorities must be resistant to their own revenue through their own financial planning, she said.

Bitman said there are still some members of the house that are “suspended”, including filling the state. However, the president of the Senate said these members are “coming out of this.”

“I don’t want to talk about them, but it sounds like things are moving,” Bitman said.

Nederkot said on the floor that voting for the bill would not be a reduction in education funding. One of the sources of funding for the school foundation program is Mill’s taxes paid through ownership taxes.

Rotfus agreed that the loss of property tax revenue does not reduce education financing, but will force the state to immerse itself in its savings. Currently, inbound property tax revenue is in line with the cost of educational funds, he said.

“This is a good situation you need to be when your revenue and expenses are approximately the same,” Rotfus said. “If we accept this legislation, then we no longer receive enough revenue to pay the full cost of the School Foundation Program.”

This would force the state to withdraw from its savings account, Rotfus said instead of relying on existing revenue.

“It’s unstable,” Rothfus said.

Before it becomes a law, the SF 69 must cross the house and receive the signature of the government Mark Gordon. If the SF 69 passes these obstacles, the release will first apply to the tax year, which begins on January 1st.