House panel adopts bill to standardize order of property tax exemptions

The House Revenue Committee on Monday approved House Bill 279, which directs assessors to apply multiple property tax exemptions in a single, specified order so that taxpayers receive consistent calculations across Wyoming counties.

The measure requires that when more than one percentage-based exemption applies to a single residential property, assessors apply exemptions from lowest percentage to highest and then apply non-percentage exemptions (for example, a fixed-dollar veterans exemption) after percentage-based reductions. The committee passed the bill by roll call, 8 ayes, 1 excused.

Why it matters: County assessors and the Department of Revenue told the committee that recent, stacked property tax relief measures — including a 4% cap on residential assessed-value growth and a 50% long-term homeowner exemption — produced different results depending on the order in which exemptions were applied. The department and several legislators said those sequencing differences could cause taxpayer confusion when assessment notices arrive this…