By Joseph Beaudet
The Sheridan Press
Via- Wyoming News Exchange

SHERIDAN — As Wyoming voters prepare to cast their ballots in the primary election, a group is preparing to fully launch opposition to an initiative on the general election ballot.

In January 2025, Secretary of State Chuck Gray certified the “People’s Initiative to Limit Property Tax in Wyoming through a Homeowner’s Exemption” had received 30,251 valid signatures, which exceeded the 15% of general election voters in the state and 15% of general election voters in two-thirds of the counties requirements.

Should voters approve the initiative, it would become law and exempt 50% of a residential property’s assessed value from property taxation if the property is the owner’s primary residence.

Brent Bien, now a gubernatorial candidate for the second time, spearheaded the effort to place the people’s initiative on the 2026 general election ballot.

Bien said he championed the effort to help Wyomingites remain in their homes after learning rising residential property tax rates were among residents’ biggest concerns while campaigning for governor for the first time in 2022.

“A lot of these seniors either built or bought their home decades ago. They raised their family in it. It’s been paid for for years,” Bien said. “And now, they’re having a tough time paying their residential property tax, which should never happen.”

The initiative certification came in the middle of a multiple-year stretch lawmakers spent much of their legislative sessions focused on property tax relief and reform.

In 2025, Gov. Mark Gordon signed a bill to offer a 25% exemption on the first $1 million of all single family residential properties’ fair market value from taxation for tax year 2025. For tax year 2026 and into the future, the exemption only applies to owner-occupied properties.

And in 2024, Gordon signed three bills designed as property tax exemptions into law, as well. They cap any increase in year-to-year property taxes at 4%, expand the veteran’s tax exemption and offer a 50% exemption to long-term homeowners. Also in 2024, the legislature expanded Wyoming’s property tax refund program. 

Should voters approve the ballot initiative in November, the Wyoming Legislature could amend it and other exemptions and programs to properly administer it. During the legislature’s 2026 budget session, lawmakers attempted to update existing exemptions to repeal in the event Wyoming voters approve the people’s initiative.

A group of taxpayers, local governments and other entities formed a campaign called “Vote NO on Initiative #1” to encourage Wyoming voters to reject the statewide ballot initiative. 

Wyoming Taxpayers Association Executive Director Hank Hoversland, a member of the group, said it is trying to help Wyomingites understand the consequences of approving the initiative.

“The implications are going to be cuts to services,” Hoversland said. “We’ve already seen throughout the state the different impacts.”

As a result of other property tax relief and reform efforts, some local governments, special districts and recreation districts have had to alter services, from slashing library budgets to cutting recreation district budgets.

Bien, though, said slashing residential property taxes by 50% would likely not have a significant impact as it is a small portion of local government’s revenue.

“It’s a lot less than what folks are saying out there,” he said.

According to a Wyoming Department of Revenue presentation in 2023 by then-Director Brenda Henson, 28.895% of the state’s total assessed value, the metric by which property taxes are levied, came from residential properties.

Hoversland said declining property tax revenues could lead to an increase in other forms of taxation, such as sales tax. Over the last few years, lawmakers have explored the possibility. Most recently, lawmakers revived a proposal in June to ditch property taxes in favor of increased sales taxes.

After the legislature’s 2025 general session, Senate President Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, and Rep. Tom Kelly, R-Sheridan, expressed support for replacing property taxes with a sales tax.

Hoversland said “Vote NO on Initiative #1” will ramp up its efforts after the primary election on Aug. 18 because the ballot initiative is on the general election ballot. The general election is Nov. 3.

Interested Wyomingites can learn more about the group and its efforts by visiting its Facebook page “Wyoming Vote NO on #1.” 

The group will also launch a website in the near future but has not yet at the time of reporting. Information about the ballot initiative is also available on the secretary of state’s website.