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County assessor warns multiple state property‑tax bills could reshape valuations
Summary
Sweetwater County Assessor Dave Divas briefed commissioners on several draft state bills (LSO drafts cited) that could change assessment rates, repeal sunsets, or shift valuation methods; he described one proposal to roll back values to 2019–2020 as practically unworkable and urged vigilance.
Sweetwater County Assessor Dave Divas told commissioners the Legislature’s revenue committee was considering several draft bills that could meaningfully alter property‑tax administration and taxpayer obligations.
Divas listed multiple LSO drafts by number and described their effects: a cleanup on government‑owned property (26 LSO 202) aimed at clarifying what constitutes governmental use; repeal of the sunset on the long‑term homeowner exemption (26 LSO 99); a constitutional amendment that would reduce the residential assessment rate toward zero (26 LSO 100); and a controversial acquisition‑value proposal (26 LSO 101) that would roll valuations back to 2019–2020 then apply annual inflation adjustments. “The part that I'm concerned with is they wanna roll back values to 2019 and 2020…this bill to me is is a huge nightmare,” Divas said, arguing the proposed process is not feasible to complete in a year.
Divas also discussed proposals to change assessment rates (26 LSO 103), to make Wyoming a disclosure state for assessment appeals (26 LSO 100And4), and to alter constitutionally required valuation separation of land and improvements (26 LSO 102). He urged commissioners that some measures—if enacted—would have significant implementation burdens and encouraged continued coordination with the county’s legislative contacts.
Commissioners thanked Divas for the update and noted county staff and delegation contacts would follow committee hearings. Divas said the county's legislative committee planned to testify on these bills and would share materials posted by the Department of Revenue and LSO if commissioners wanted copies.
