Alert! Comments due by Wednesday, December 16
The Wyoming Legislature Revenue Committee meets this coming Thursday and Friday, December 17 and 18. This is the most important committee meeting for the upcoming 2021 Legislative session. With the massive reductions in revenue, Wyoming needs to either raise more revenue or face severe cuts to our schools and many services, especially to our most vulnerable citizens like children, the elderly, sick and disabled. There is a strong sentiment in many legislators to not support any revenue enhancing measures. In fact, many of them have taken a no new taxes pledge regardless of the consequences. Thus, they need to hear from us their constituents about our views on this vital issue. We are at a watershed moment in our states history. Much of our mineral industry and its associated public service revenue is not coming back. Wishing for a different future will not make it so.
We are the adults at this juncture in our state’s history. As adults we are responsible for assuring the welfare of our community’s future especially for those who are powerless (children) and the vulnerable (the elderly,sick and disabled). To turn our back on them is not responsible or moral. It’s the time to show what kind of people we are self serving or supportive of the greater good. We need to encourage our elected officials to opt for the route that takes us to the better good and a brighter future for ALL of us.
There are resources in Wyoming. We have no income tax. We have very low property taxes. There are corporations and individuals doing business and residing in Wyoming who make a very high income and pay no income taxes. The real estate value in much of our state is skyrocketing yet we have no real estate transfer tax and low property taxes. These revenue sources were discussed in the last revenue committee meeting but voted down. The income tax would have affected the less than 2 % of our residents (the relatively wealthy). It would have gone a long way to funding our school budget deficit. So, in addition to comments on the current legislation considered during this committee meeting, we suggest you add a comment supporting other revenue enhancing legislation.
You can watch the committee meeting on a YouTube link. Go to
click on Revenue Committee meeting for the correct date
there will be a link to YouTube
Please submit comments on the form (link below). You can request time to present your comments or just submit them in written form:
https://wyoleg.gov/Committee/Testimony?CommID=2592
You must specify the agenda item you are commenting on. The school funding mill levy bill is 21LSO-0076. All the bills under consideration are in the link titled meeting materials in the wyoleg.gov revenue committee site
Thanks for participating as a citizen of our great state of Wyoming!!