Local leaders: Residential property tax cut would hurt residents, result in $62 million annual loss

CHEYENNE – As state legislators discuss whether to eliminate residential property taxes for Wyoming residents, Laramie County and city officials say the changes, which would drain almost $62 million in tax revenue per year from the county, would be detrimental to local services.

The Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Revenue Committee recently voted to advance two measures that would affect taxation and government revenue in the state. The first bill aims to eliminate residential property taxes, and the second bill would replace that loss of revenue with a 2% increase in the state sales tax rate. Both were approved at the Nov. 19 committee meeting, despite most in attendance voicing opposition to both ideas.

Education would face the biggest loss, according to 2025 calculations from the Laramie