Wyoming

Lower Wyoming Property Taxes Could Mean Higher Sales Tax, Removing Exemptions

Published

2 years ago

May 31, 2024

Lower Wyoming Property Taxes Could Mean Higher Sales Tax, Removing Exemptions

Although the 2025 legislative session is more than six months off, the Joint Revenue Committee of the Wyoming Legislature is already exploring ways the state government could continue funding services and departments at current levels while also giving people more property tax breaks.

The most likely avenues for that would be broadening the state’s 4% sales tax, which could potentially happen by removing certain sales tax exemptions or putting new taxes on specified services that are currently non-taxable in the state, or both. Individual Wyoming counties also can assess their own local sales taxes up to 2%. Statewide, there is an an average combined state and local sales tax rate of 5.36%.

What Could It Look Like?

A study performed by the Legislative Service Office shows that by removing most exemptions and taxing new specified services, the state could raise $268 million in additional revenue per year. Still exempted under this cost estimate would be health, veterinary and funeral services.

There were bills brought during the 2019 and 2023 legislative sessions that would have broadened and lowered the sales tax rate in Wyoming to make it revenue neutral. These efforts had little success.

Some of the current sales tax exemptions in Wyoming include purchases on livestock and feed, farm implements, food for domestic home consumption, aircraft sales and maintenance, manufacturing machinery, data process service centers and broadband internet equipment.

The 2023 bill would have removed these exemptions, but the broadband exemption is expiring anyway on July 1. That will provide an estimated $900,000 revenue for the state each year.

Manufacturing machinery generates $160 million in total revenue a year while data centers come in at a whopping $841 million, based on 2023 figures.

Solely by removing most of the state’s exemptions, $127 million in additional revenue would be expected to be raised. By taxing currently untaxed services, a projected $141 million would be raised.

Wyoming’s sales tax is based more on goods rather than services. This does not reflect the fact that the Wyoming economy has shifted to a more services-based economy over time, Temte said, which has narrowed the state’s tax base.

A theoretical consumption tax would be applicable to all goods and services.

Dean Temte, senior fiscal analyst for the Legislative Service Office, presented his estimates based on a comparison to the sales tax of South Dakota, which is broader than Wyoming’s tax in that it assesses much more services.

He stressed that this is an imperfect comparison, as South Dakota has a substantially larger population than Wyoming and different sources of revenue as that state has much less mineral production.

What About Data Centers?

State Sen. Bob Ide, R-Casper questioned during the Revenue Committee’s meeting Wednesday why data centers receive a sales tax exemption, to which Temte had no answer.

A number of data centers have popped up around Cheyenne in recent years, including facilities run by Microsoft and Meta (Facebook) in Cheyenne. These facilities are somewhat controversial as they tend to draw a significant amount of energy to run.

David Bush, governmental affairs manager for Black Hills Energy, acknowledged these facilities benefit his company because of their high electricity bills.

“It’s great for us as a company, but what is great for us as a company is great for the community as well,” he said.

As of 2021, there were four data centers in Cheyenne that provided 209 primary jobs, generating $82 million per year for Wyoming’s economy with $1.5 billion in capital investments, according to a Cheyenne LEADS analysis. This included $18 million in sales tax spent on power bills and $40.6 million spent on property taxes since opening.

Bush said there are 32 other states that offer data center exemptions.

“It’s a really competitive market,” he said. “There’s a lot of people trying to get the data centers.”

What About Food?

Temte said the exemption on food originated from the 2006 biennial budget bill and was made permanent during the next year’s session. Sen. Troy McKeown, R-Gillette, questioned whether this simply shifted the burden from this lost revenue to another sector at that time, but Rep. Steve Harshman, R-Casper, who was in the Legislature at that time, said no new taxes were levied.

Casper resident Rozmaring Czaban firmly opposed the idea of taxing food, manufacturing and agricultural equipment. Doing so, she believes, would lead to more government subsidies for those industries anyway.

“Since Wyoming is mainly comprised of the mineral industry and agricultural, I think that’s going to be pretty detrimental on the state,” she said. “What you’re giving with one hand you’re taking with the other.”

She urged the committee to try and reduce spending without raising revenue in another sector.

Sen. Tim French, R-Powell, a farmer by occupation, said he has a couple of pieces of field equipment that cost $25,000 to $30,000 that he only uses about two days a year. He said his business already has a thin profit margin that becomes even slimmer and sometimes disappears entirely during poor weather years.

Rep. Tony Locke, R-Casper, took a similar perspective and questioned how the potential imposition of these taxes would affect Wyoming’s economy and its competitiveness with neighboring states. Temte said this would require an extensive additional analysis.

Tobacco Tax

During the 2023 legislative session, a bill was proposed that would have capped the tobacco tax on cigars at 30 cents per cigar, but that piece of the legislation was removed. What the bill did do as passed was require the tax of a cigar or related products happen at the point of sale instead of wholesale by the business owner.

Sen. Stephan Pappas, R-Cheyenne, said this has put local tobacco shops at a disadvantage when considering online retailers aren’t subject to the same tax. Bret Fanning, a Department of Revenue staffer, said not only have these retailers been pushing back on the tax, but also on licensing with the state of Wyoming, which is required under state law.

Pappas said the few premium cigar retailers in Wyoming are being pushed out by dozens of much larger outside companies. Premium cigars are already taxed at a higher rate in Wyoming because they have a higher level of nicotine. Pappas recommended lowering this tax to make it equal for all cigars.

“The Department of Revenue is trying everything we can statutorily to get these companies (to) send us tobacco tax,” Fanning told the committee. “So that the local tobacco retailers in your areas are not at a disadvantage from online retailers.”

‘Claw-Back’ Option

Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, took an opposite approach to the discussions, requesting that the Legislative Service Office draft a bill providing a “claw-back” option on a 4% property tax cap passed by the Legislature this spring that would allow cities and counties the option to revert this cap back as far as 2019 taxing quotas.

Locke also wants to add in related residential structures such as detached garages to the 4% cap, which are not currently covered. Ide went further, putting in a request for a bill draft that lowers the cap to 3% or the lesser of annual consumer price index growth.

Rep. Ember Oakley, R-Riverton, said she wants the Legislature to pursue putting limits on levies rather than assessments.

Sen. Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, requested the resurrection of Senate File 54, a popular property tax bill from the 2024 session that Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed. He also wants to explore tax assessment on industrial properties in Wyoming from 11.5% to the 9.5% rate shared by residential properties.

Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.

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Wyoming

Group asks judge to restore abortion rights, block Human Heartbeat Act

Published

3 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Group asks judge to restore abortion rights, block Human Heartbeat Act

A group of abortion access advocates are asking the Natrona County District Court to block the Human Heartbeat Act. The law went into effect on March 9 and bans most abortions at six weeks.

That’s because cardiac activity can be detected with a transvaginal ultrasound at about six weeks — a time when abortion advocates say many people don’t know they’re pregnant yet.

The motion to the court states that the new law involves the same “fundamental problem” as other abortion-related laws already being considered by the court.

They are asking to add the law to an ongoing case over separate laws, which would require building renovations at abortion clinics and require transvaginal ultrasounds 48 hours before an abortion. Both of those laws have been temporarily blocked.

“[The Human Heartbeat Act] transgresses the constitutional guarantee of Plaintiffs’ and individuals’ to make health care decisions without interference from the government,” says the document filed on the afternoon of March 10 by Robinson Bramlet LLC.

Wyoming Public Radio obtained the filing from Chelsea’s Fund, an abortion-rights nonprofit and one of the plaintiffs in the case — part of the same group that has been challenging the state for years to protect abortion access.

They recently won their case in the Wyoming Supreme Court, when the majority of justices decided to strike down two near-total abortion laws enacted in 2024, saying they violated residents’ right to make their own healthcare decisions, which is specifically protected in the Wyoming Constitution.

The Legislature quickly got to work on more anti-abortion legislation, such as the Human Heartbeat Act, which Gov. Mark Gordon signed on March 9. It carries an exception for cases where the health of the mother is in jeopardy, but not for rape or incest victims, which Gordon called an “unfortunate flaw.”

Chelsea’s Fund Executive Director Janean Forsyth said she was disappointed the state again restricted access to “vital care.”

“I’m thinking about everyone from the 15 year old that we supported, whose grandmother actually reached out, a victim of sexual assault,” Forsyth said. “I’m thinking about a family with a very wanted pregnancy that we supported in eventually seeking an abortion for a severe fetal anomaly.”

Forsyth added that abortion laws like this result in medical providers leaving the state.

“So it’s not only affecting access to abortion care, it’s affecting reproductive healthcare access generally for parents and children, which is really unfortunate,” she said.

Wellspring Health Access in Casper, the state’s only abortion clinic, is cancelling appointments with patients seeking to end their pregnancies later in their term, according to Executive Director Katie Knutter.

Speaker of the House Chip Neiman (R-Hulett) sponsored the law. He said he wasn’t surprised it was met with legal action, as that’s been the trend in recent years.

“I think we’re in a good spot,” Neiman said in a voicemail to Wyoming Public Radio after the lawsuit was filed. “And we’re going to move ahead and the people of the Legislature, Wyoming has spoken.”

Lawmakers decided against putting the issue directly before Wyoming voters as a constitutional amendment this fall. That’s after Gordon urged them to do so to end the legal cycle.

Neiman couldn’t be reached by publication time to comment on the decision to not pursue a constitutional amendment, but in a Jan. 26 town hall, he expressed worries that voters could codify the right to abortion.

In 2024, 64% of Nevada voters supported enshrining the right into the state constitution. A majority will have to vote in favor again later this year to recognize the right.

In his voicemail, Neiman added, “There’s folks out there that are completely good with killing kids, killing babies in the womb, and there’s other folks out here like the Legislature that are fighting desperately to preserve their lives.”

The abortion-rights group said it will ask the court to issue a temporary restraining order and block the new law while the legal challenge proceeds.

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Wyoming

Wyoming Coaches Pick the Best of 1A & 2A Boys Basketball in 2026

Published

15 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming Coaches Pick the Best of 1A & 2A Boys Basketball in 2026

The top boys’ basketball players in Wyoming for Classes 1A and 2A were chosen for the 2026 high school season. The Wyoming Coaches Association has unveiled the all-state awards for this year, as voted on by the head coaches in the two classifications, respectively. The Wyoming Coaches Association only recognizes one team for all-state, and only these players receive an award certificate from the WCA. WyoPreps only lists all-state players as defined by the WCA.

WCA 1A-2A BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-STATE SELECTIONS IN 2026

Each class selected 14 players for all-state, reflecting a broad recognition of talent across Wyoming. Notably, congratulations go to Hulett’s Kyle Smith, Brady Cook from Lingle-Fort Laramie, and Carsten Freeburg from Pine Bluffs, who earned all-state honors for the third straight year. In addition, eight more players achieved all-state status for the second time in their prep careers.

Class 1A

Paul McNiven – Burlington

Bitner Philpott – Burlington

Ammon Hatch – Cokeville (All-State in 2025)

Hudson Himmerich – Cokeville

Kyle Smith – Hulett (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Anthony Arnusch – Lingle-Ft. Laramie

Brady Cook – Lingle-Ft. Laramie (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Tymber Cozzens – Little Snake River (All-State in 2025)

Corbin Matthews – Lusk

Max Potas – Meeteetse (All-State in 2024)

Jace Westring – Saratoga

Hazen Williams – Saratoga

TJ Moats – Southeast (All-State in 2024)

Nic Schiller – Upton

Read More Boys Basketball News from WyoPreps

WyoPreps 1A-2A State Basketball Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps 3A-4A Regional Basketball Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Final Basketball Poll 2026

1A-2A Boys Basketball Regional Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 11 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-25-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 10 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-18-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 9 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-11-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 8 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-4-26

Class 2A

Caleb Adsit – Big Horn

Chase Garber – Big Horn

Carsten Freeburg – Pine Bluffs (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Mason Moss – Rocky Mountain

Oakley Hicks – Shoshoni

Kade Mills – Sundance

Cody Bomengen – Thermopolis (All-State in 2025)

Zak Hastie – Thermopolis

Ellis Webber – Thermopolis (All-State in 2025)

Joseph Kimbrell – Wright

Mitchell Strohschein – Wright (All-State in 2025)

Adriano Brown – Wyoming Indian

Heeyei’Niitou Monroe-Black – Wyoming Indian (All-State in 2025)

Cordell Spoonhunter – Wyoming Indian

The 2026 state champions were the Saratoga Panthers in Class 1A. They beat Lingle-Fort Laramie, 50-45, in the championship game. The 2A winners were the Thermopolis Bobcats, who repeated as champions, after a 45-38 victory over Wyoming Indian in the title game.

Lusk versus Rock River high school basketball 2026

Game action between the Tigers and Longhorns

Gallery Credit: Courtesy: Lisa Shaw

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Wyoming

New laws establish a statewide literacy program

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

New laws establish a statewide literacy program

A pair of bills signed into law last week aim to build out a more comprehensive system of literacy education across Wyoming’s public schools.

One mandates evidence-based practices and requires regular screenings for dyslexia, while the other enables the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) to hire a dedicated literacy professional to oversee statewide compliance.

Gov. Mark Gordon’s signing of both bills on Friday was the latest accomplishment of an ongoing push for improved literacy standards. That push has been spearheaded by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder.

“Wyoming is not going to let a single child fall through the cracks,” Degenfelder said during a public bill signing last week. “We are not going to fall behind when it comes to ensuring that our children can read at grade level.”

The primary bill, Senate File 59, establishes a statewide K-12 program for teaching students to read that is built on “evidence based language and literacy instruction, assessment, intervention and professional development that supports educators, engages families and promotes literacy proficiency for all Wyoming students.”

The bill defines evidence-based strategies as those that conform to the science of reading, a term that will be defined and updated by Degenfelder’s office. Nationwide, it generally means putting academic research into practice in classrooms. SF 59 specifically prohibits the exclusive use of “three-cueing” — a strategy once widely employed to teach reading but which education experts now say is outdated and less effective than other strategies.

It also requires annual dyslexia screeners for students below the third grade, and testing for reading difficulties for all students.

The screeners are used to identify the severity of reading difficulties in order to direct “tiered” support that offers the most intensive interventions to the students most in need, while still providing “evidence based” language instruction to all students.

Each school district must formulate an individualized reading plan “for each student identified as having reading difficulties or at risk for poor reading outcomes.”

Districts must now report to the state annually regarding their literacy-related work. Any district where 60% or more of the students are struggling will be required to implement “summer literacy camps or extended supports, including after school support and tutoring.”

The bill also requires literacy related professional development for teachers and specialists “appropriate to their role and level of responsibility” related to literacy education.

SF 59 was backed by dyslexia advocates and literacy specialists.

Senate File 14, the other literacy bill signed into law Friday, appropriates $120,000 annually for the next two years for a full-time position at WDE “to assist school districts in implementing a reading assessment and intervention program and language and literacy programs.”

Both bills go into effect July 1.

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