Committee approves bill to shift 4 percentage points of statewide sales tax back to cities and counties

Summary

The Revenue Committee advanced Senate File 60, which lowers the state's share of the statewide 4% sales tax from 69% to 65% and increases the local distribution share, producing an estimated $38.6 million returned to local governments in fiscal year 2026; the committee voted 5-0 to pass the bill out of committee.

Senate File 60, a bill that would change the statewide sales- and use-tax distribution formula so the state keeps 65% rather than 69% of the statewide 4% tax, was advanced by the Revenue Committee after public testimony and technical explanation from the Department of Revenue.

Sponsor Senator Tim French, Senate District 18, told the committee the bill is “pretty simple” and “just changes the percentage” so that “the state share goes from 69% to 65%.” He said the change would increase distributions back to cities, towns and counties by about $38,600,000 in the bill’s first year (fiscal 2026). “It sends more money back out,” French said.

Brett Fanning, excise tax administrator at the Wyoming Department of Revenue, described the mechanics of distribution and the bill’s narrow scope. “On page number 2, lines 6 and 7, just as Senator French had outlined, this is just updating the percentage,” Fanning said. He explained that the bill…

Committee approves bill to shift 4 percentage points of statewide sales tax back to cities and counties

Summary

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