Governor Gordon: Passing Prop 1 Would Be Devastating To Wyoming

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon says passing a proposition to reduce residential property taxes by 50 percent  on the General Election Ballot would ''have a devastating impact on Wyoming."

You can read Proposition 1 here.

Gordon Cites ''Immediate And Devastating Effect" On Services

In an editorial release on Monday, the Governor wrote in part, "The reduction by 50% would have an immediate and devastating effect on the services most Wyoming citizens rely upon in their communities"

He later added ''Tax reform is fundamentally different from destroying a tax base or relying on the legislature to fund essential services.

'Some things are universal - safe neighborhoods depend on services such as firefighting, emergency responses, good schools, and maintained roads.  All of these are essential to Wyoming’s long term strength and vitality.  They make our communities places where families can stay, businesses can grow, and the next generation can build a future they can call home.

Local control is a conservative principle - it means that decisions about community needs should rest as close as possible to those people who live there, who pay the taxes there, and who can hold their local elected officials accountable.  How responsible do we find Congress these days? Our communities need both the authority and the financial ability to meet those needs. Every property owner having “skin in the game” helps to assure the citizenry pays attention and demands accountability at the local - very most responsive - level. '

Most of the money raised by the taxes goes to K-12 public schools. The balance goes to local governments, law enforcement, and fire protection, community colleges, libraries, and similar local entities. None of the tax revenue goes to state government.

Supporters of Proposition 1 argue that taxes have increased by a statewide average of over 70 percent since 2019, creating hardship for many homeowners. They also say local governments around Wyoming have plenty of money on hand to provide essential services if they would cut waste and spend money efficiently.