The following letters to the editor appeared in the March 18, 2026 edition of the Star Valley Independent.
Wyoming Legislature Summary
By Scott Heiner,
House Majority Floor Leader
The Wyoming Legislature adjourned following a 20-day session dealing with the state budget, property taxes, school funding, protecting children, parental rights, and a host of other issues. Here’s a look at what the Legislature did this session that will impact your life.
Budget and State expenditures have increased 59% since 2019, the Legislature slowed the growth of government and reduced the Governor’s requested 12% budget increase by $33.8 million. The final budget includes bringing state employee wages to 2024 market rates, increased funding for senior centers and developmental disability waivers.
The Long-term Homeowners property tax exemption was made permanent which provides for 50% property tax reduction for Wyoming citizens who have paid property taxes in Wyoming for 25 years or more and are over 65 years old. Additionally, Direct Distribution dollars to counties, municipalities and special districts was increased by $42 million to replace lost revenue due to property tax relief.
School Funding and Recalibration is a requirement of Wyoming Statute and directed by the Wyoming Supreme Court to take place not less than every 5 years. For the last 15 years, the Legislature has been under a legal obligation to recalibrate the school finance funding model, but has failed to do so. Under conservative leadership, the Legislature completed this obligation in a way that prioritizes students and teachers, not bureaucracy and administration. At nearly $4 billion per biennium, this marks the biggest investment in public education (with an emphasis on the classroom) in history, with an increase of $248 million for the biennium.
The new model increases teacher salaries and funding by $123 million in the 1st year and provides for an additional 259 teacher equivalent positions throughout the state. An additional $10 million per year grant will be used to support dual enrollment which allows high-performing students to take college classes while still in high school. The new funding model focuses resources on students, teachers, and opportunity — not administrative expansion.
Protecting Children & Parental Rights were a high priority again this year. Legislation was passed to protect the vulnerable and close an existing stalking of minors’ loophole, create a felony sexual offense for grooming a minor to engage in sexual conduct, and ban sex offenders from holding public office. An attempt was made to move sex books from children’s sections of public libraries to the adult section but this bill was killed by Senate leadership. A bill to provide an enforcement mechanism for parental rights was also killed by Senate leadership. Additionally, schools can no longer deny homeschool and part-time student’s access to activities.
Immigration and Second Amendment Rights bills were also signed into law that remove non-English speaking CDL drivers from Wyoming roads, restore concealed carry rights to all legal adults, and added a criminal misdemeanor penalty to Wyoming’s prohibition on red flag gun seizures.
The Senate killed or refused to hear many of the House bills, but the House debated every Senate bill. Each of these bills is important to someone and deserves the chance to be heard and debated on the floor. The House worked long hours and burned the midnight oil, often working until midnight or later and even worked one Saturday to complete the work.
As we finish this year’s session, we need to continue to fight for the taxpayer’s of Wyoming, protect the rights of parents, defend the freedoms of our citizens and create a Wyoming where the people are once again heard and in control. This is a nation founded on the principle that the Government derives its power from the people and not that the people should be beholden to the government. Let us stand strong together!
Taxpayers struggling, counties stockpiling cash
Dear Editor,
For years, Wyoming “conservatives” — who often govern like liberals — along with Wyoming’s legacy media, have told us that local governments don’t have enough money to buy police cars, fire trucks, or properly build and maintain roads. We keep hearing the same message: we need more, more, more.
At the same time, these same voices say the average citizen can’t afford basic living expenses like rent or a mortgage, car payments, food, clothing, and electricity. If families are struggling to balance their own household budgets, why are taxpayers constantly being asked to give even more to supposedly underfunded local governments?
Financial reports from Wyoming’s 23 counties covering fiscal years 2019 through 2025 — the same period Governor Gordon has been in office — tell a very different story.
The numbers show the counties are not underfunded. In fact, they are flush with cash.
During this period, the 23 counties took in about $12.7 billion in revenue, an increase of 48 percent. They spent about $11.2 billion, an increase of 47 percent, leaving a surplus of roughly $1.5 billion. Cash reserves grew to about $2.6 billion, a 68 percent increase. At current spending levels, the counties could operate for about 23 months without taking in a single dollar in new tax revenue.
With a $1.5 billion surplus and $2.6 billion sitting in reserve, it’s fair to ask: are Wyoming counties really unable to afford police cars, fire trucks, or road work? How many Wyoming households saw their income rise 48 percent during that same time? How many families increased their savings by 68 percent? Remember, real inflation from 2019 to 2024 was about 30 percent.
Looking at one example, Albany County collected about $208.9 million from 2019 through 2025, a 30 percent increase. Spending totaled about $178.6 million, up 54 percent, leaving a surplus of $30.3 million. Cash reserves reached $53.2 million — a 145 percent increase — enough to operate the county for about 20 months without new tax revenue. With a $30.3 million surplus and $53.2 million in reserves, is Albany County truly unable to afford police cars, fire trucks, or road maintenance?
How many local households saw income rise 30 percent in that same period? How many increased their savings by 145 percent?
Wyoming citizens are told government is short on money, while the numbers show something very different. From a constitutional, limited-government perspective, taxpayers deserve honesty, accountability, and responsible spending — not constant demands for more.
50% Homestead Property
Tax Exemption
Now for a review of 50% homestead property tax exemption on the 2026 ballot that some are claiming would reduce county revenues so much that Wyoming’s 23 counties could not continue to operate.
If the media and the Wyoming Legislature spent a few minutes reviewing Wyoming Department of Audit and Revenue reports, they would see that if the 2026 ballot initiative passes, counties would see about a 4.4% decrease in total revenue in the first year.
A 4.4% reduction in total revenue does not sound like a drop so severe that counties would cease to function.
How many private households deal with budget changes of 4.4% every year? Most of them do. If families must adjust their spending every year, then county governments should be able to do the same.
I found documentation over the last six years that, Wyoming’s 23 counties have seen revenue increase by about 54%, rising from roughly $755 million in 2019 to about $1.158 billion in 2024.
How many Wyoming citizens have seen their household income rise 54% in that same time? With about 40% of Wyoming residents living on fixed incomes, this pace cannot continue.
Follow the Money
This is how the 4.4% figure is reached.
In 2024, Wyoming’s 23 counties collected about $1.158 billion in total revenue. Of that amount, about $340 million came from all property taxes combined, including residential, mineral, industrial, commercial, agricultural, and other property.
The remaining $818 million came from other sources such as sales taxes, fuel taxes, federal funds, state funds, service charges, permits, and licenses.
Of the $340 million in total property tax revenue, about 30% came from residential property taxes. That equals about $102 million, which means residential property taxes make up only about 9% of total county revenue. The other 91% comes from all other taxes, grants, and fees.
A 50% homestead exemption would reduce residential property tax revenue to about $51 million instead of $102 million. A $51 million change in a $1.158 billion budget equals about a 4.4% decrease in total county revenue.
From 2019 through 2024, Wyoming’s 23 counties collected about $5.67 billion in total revenue and spent about $4.685 billion. That left roughly $985 million added to county cash reserves during that time. This does not include additional reserves held by the state, special districts, or school districts.
QUESTION…Were the 580,000 residents of Wyoming able to add nearly $1 billion to their personal savings over the same six years?
Does adding nearly $1 billion to county reserve accounts sound like a system that is in financial trouble?
NUMBERS DON’T LIE
Lincoln County actual financial reports tell a very different story as well.
According to the most recent audited financial statements, Lincoln County’s cash reserves continue to grow, not shrink.
Lincoln County financial snapshot (FY2024):
• Cash reserves / fund balance: $44.0 million
• Prior year reserves: $37.0 million
• Increase in one year: $7.0 million
• Percent increase in reserves: about 19%
• Spendable (unassigned) reserves: about $32.8 million
Lincoln County Financial snapshot (FY2025)
• Cash Reserves / fund balance $53,695,991
• This shows a 842.7% increase for 2025
Lincoln County’s yearly governmental spending is roughly in the mid-$20 million range, meaning the county could operate for around 18–22 months without taking in a single dollar in new tax revenue.
With just over $53 million in reserves, does Lincoln County really lack the money to maintain roads, buy equipment, or fund basic services? What is all this money being appropriated to?
How many households in Lincoln County increased their savings by 19% in one year?
How many families could go nearly two years without income and still pay their bills?
These numbers come directly from the county’s own audited financial statements.
If we are going to have an honest discussion about taxes and government funding, the discussion should be based on the actual financial reports — not on claims that counties are broke when the numbers show millions sitting in reserve.
Sincerely,
Amber Hyde
