Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Tax topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Appropriations committee backs two-year, 50% homeowner exemption; revenue impact questioned by counties and colleges
Summary
Senate File 69, a two-year property tax relief measure that exempts 50% of fair market value of single-family residences (capped at $1 million) for owner-occupied homes, cleared the Appropriations Committee despite county, special-district and community college warnings about revenue losses and limited backfill.
The House Appropriations Committee recommended Senate File 69 do pass after an extended hearing that included fiscal estimates and testimony from county officials, municipal leaders, community college representatives and state revenue staff.
Senator Troy McEwen, sponsor of Senate File 69, described the bill as an owner-occupied residential exemption that would apply to 50% of fair market value up to $1,000,000, and would sunset in two years. “So basically just cuts the property tax in half,” McEwen said, describing the broad effect and noting the measure excludes renters and does not include a statutory backfill.
Director Brenda Henson of the Wyoming Department of Revenue told the committee the bill applies to single-family residential structures and associated residential land. Using 2024 values, Henson said an updated fiscal estimate puts the cost at roughly $254,737,792 (the department’s calculation applied to 2024 property values), with the reduction split among school foundation funding, counties, municipalities and special districts.
Why it matters: County officials and representatives of local special districts said the nearly quarter-billion-dollar annual revenue hit (based on 2024 values) would drive meaningful cuts in county services, special districts and community colleges unless the legislature provided backfill or targeted relief. Several county commissioners said many counties have hit their mill-levy caps and lack revenue flexibility.
Key testimony and figures: Jeremiah Rehman of the Wyoming County Commissioners Association outlined county-level revenue reductions for several counties and said 21 of 23 counties have maxed their mill levies. Mayor Matt Murdock of Pinedale and the Wyoming Association of Municipalities cautioned that municipal matches for grants and capital projects rely on local property revenue and said towns’ reserves are earmarked for specific one-time needs.
Community colleges warned of a near-$11 million annual impact across the public college system and said the colleges operate on thin margins; Dr. Ben Moritz of the Community College Commission described the colleges’ funding mix and how cuts would affect programs and staffing.
Fire and emergency services representatives also warned special districts—often capped in their revenue-raising ability—would feel a cumulative impact from broad property tax reductions.
Administration detail: Henson said the bill interacts with recent changes already on the books, including the 4% cap on single-family residence tax growth and the long-term homeowner exemption. She told members that assessors are still valuing many properties for 2025 and that the department expects implementation challenges without the specific exclusion in the bill (the bill includes language that a taxpayer who received the long-term homeowner exemption cannot take this new exemption).
Committee action: Representative Haraldson moved the committee to recommend the bill do pass; Representative Pendergraft seconded. The roll-call vote recorded six ayes and one no (Representative Sherwood). The committee sent the bill to the floor as a committee do-pass.
What’s next: Several members signaled they intend to pursue targeted backfill or alternate relief measures for counties and special districts; the committee and the Department of Revenue said they will provide further data as appraisal work and enrollment in existing exemptions continue.
