Wyoming voters will decide whether to cut property taxes by at least $124.7M
If November ‘People’s Initiative’ passes, public schools, local governments could lose millions.
JACKSON — A property tax relief initiative appearing on this year’s general election ballot could decrease property tax revenue by about $124.7 million statewide, a sum that could amount to a 23% cut.
If those funds are not collected, public schools could stand to lose roughly $81.3 million, according to a Wyoming Department of Revenue analysis presented to lawmakers Monday. In addition to the ballot initiative, the analysis factored in all property tax relief measures the Wyoming Legislature has passed.
Now some lawmakers are debating the ballot initiative — known colloquially as the “People’s Initiative” — and wondering whether it can be tweaked to better align it with property tax laws already passed. Others are questioning why Secretary of State Chuck Gray is advertising a smaller revenue reduction than the Department of Revenue.
And others are encouraging Wyoming to further tighten its belt.
“We need to learn how to, maybe instead of backfill or find other revenues, learn how to spend less,” said Sen. Bob Ide, R-Casper.
The presentation happened at a two-day Joint Revenue Committee hearing during which Wyoming lawmakers talked about taxation, including the impacts of past tax relief efforts, the ballot initiative, and new measures that the Wyoming Legislature may consider, including eliminating residential property taxes altogether.
https://www.meier4wyo.com/donate-get-involved/
The proposal
The “People’s Initiative” could indefinitely exempt half of a property’s assessed value from taxes if the owner lives there at least six months a year. The homeowner would need to live in Wyoming for a year prior to qualify. The land that the home sits on, however, wouldn’t qualify for the tax exemption.
In the last tax year, Wyoming assessors collected roughly $534.9 million in residential property taxes levied on homes and land, according to the Wyoming Taxpayers Association. Teton County brought in the lion’s share of that revenue: roughly $185.1 million.
At $124.7 million, the projected cut could amount to a 23% reduction in property tax revenue statewide, impacting schools and local governments and institutions, like Teton County, the Town of Jackson and St. John’s Health. St. John’s is already considering asking voters to bump property taxes to backfill the loss.
https://www.meier4wyo.com/donate-get-involved/
Tweaking the initiative?
Some lawmakers worry voters might not understand how the “People’s Initiative” could impact services in their community at a “granular level,” whether it’s resources for their fire district, library, county fair or public schools.
“People don’t know how it affects them when they vote,” Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander.
On Monday, legislators wrestled with how to respond if the “People’s Initiative” passes. Even proponents of major property tax cuts wanted to know if they could amend the initiative to better align it with state law, including by making the residency requirement eight months instead of six months of the year.
“It’s interesting to me that we’re sitting here talking about what we could propose and how we could modify the ‘People’s Initiative’ to make it work and be better because it’s not very workable right now,” said Case. “That ought to say something about the ‘People’s Initiative.’”
Kenneth Guille, the Wyoming Department of Revenue’s property tax division administrator, said that his staff doesn’t have a way to detail “impact to that individual taxpayer.”
Other lawmakers encouraged Wyomingites to visit their treasurers and learn how their taxes are currently collected and spent.
Rep. Liz Storer, D-Jackson, also asked if Guille had suggestions for how schools could make up the lost revenue. Guille said the Legislature would have to decide that. The Legislature has recently faced pressure from the courts to fund public education more equitably, after being ordered to update its funding and facilities model to align with the Wyoming Constitution.
https://www.meier4wyo.com/donate-get-involved/
Conflicting numbers
The Department of Revenue’s $124.7 million projected impact is more than the estimated $92.6 million impact the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office has reported, Storer pointed out. The Teton County Clerk’s Office posted that number along with the language for the proposed initiative at its front desk.
Guille said he saw those numbers advertised in a newspaper as well, and the secretary of state’s fiscal impact “doesn’t include an estimate of any impact upon political subdivisions,” like local governments.
“I have not spoken with them,” he said. “In fact, we were not a part of the language for the ballot. The only conversation we’ve had with the secretary was originally in 2023.”
Gray was not asked to attend the Joint Revenue Committee meeting, according to a chair, Sen. Troy McKeown, R-Gillette.
Storer suggested talking with Gray to resolve the difference “and make sure that the public understands what the fiscal impact is.”
https://www.meier4wyo.com/donate-get-involved/
The backstory
The homeowner’s tax exemption spearheaded by Brent Bien, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, was first proposed in Oct. 2023. He and fellow organizers originally hoped to put the initiative in front of voters in Nov. 2024 but failed to get the 29,730 signatures necessary before the 2024 legislative session.
When Bien and fellow organizers Cheryl Aguiar and Rich Weber submitted the signatures later in 2024 for certification, they were 1,030 shy. They were given a second chance to collect more to get onto the 2026 ballot.
In Jan. 2025, the “People’s Initiative” was certified after organizers garnered enough signatures. In total, they gathered 30,251. In Teton County, 1,702 registered voters signed the petition. Only three citizen-proposed ballot initiatives have become law in Wyoming since 1968, though 36 have been proposed.
This story was published on June 10, 2026.
Ensure These Stories Are Told
Despite the challenges facing independent local journalism, what sustains us — and fills us with deep gratitude — is the loyal support of readers who believe our communities deserve accurate, trusted, and locally rooted news.
It is no exaggeration to say that we are here because of you. Every story we report, every local issue we follow, every public meeting we cover, and every community voice we lift up is made possible by readers who understand the value of an independent newspaper.
Your support does more than fund articles. It helps protect the independence that allows us to report honestly, ask important questions, and keep our community informed without fear or favor.
If you are able, please consider supporting the News Letter Journal by donating to our Unabridged Fund today. Whether your gift helps cover reporting time, printing costs, video, photography, editing, or distribution, every contribution helps keep local journalism strong in Wyoming.
All gifts are deeply appreciated. Your support helps ensure that local stories continue to be told, local decisions continue to be watched, and local voices continue to be heard.
Thank you for standing with independent community journalism.