Dear editor:
This year there is a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on the 2024 General Election Ballot to amend the Wyoming Constitution.
In this case, the Wyoming …
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Dear editor:
This year there is a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on the 2024 General Election Ballot to amend the Wyoming Constitution.
In this case, the Wyoming Legislature approved this amendment to be placed on the ballot. Voter approval is required for the amendment to be adopted.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT A
THE ADOPTION OF THIS AMENDMENT WOULD SEPARATE RESIDENTIAL REAL PROPERTY INTO ITS OWN CLASS OF PROPERTY FOR PURPOSES OF PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENTS. THE AMENDMENT WOULD AUTHORIZE THE LEGISLATURE TO CREATE A SUBCLASS OF OWNER OCCUPIED PRIMARY RESIDENCES.
( ) FOR
( ) AGAINST
The link for the resolution is: wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2023/SJ0003 This link shows the original bill and what it ended up as. Keep in mind that the Wyoming Constitution, Article 3, Section 20, Laws to be passed by bill; alteration or amendment of bills. No law shall be passed except by bill, and no bill shall be so altered or amended on its passage through either house as to change its original purpose.
This Joint Resolution was altered and amended to change its original purpose.
So, what are the benefits and consequences of this amendment?
Benefits:
Residential Real Property, the property you own and live in, would become a separate class of property and can be assessed separately from the current three classes. The Legislature may create a subclass of residential real property for owner occupied primary residences. Not shall. However, if they do, they may reduce or they may increase property taxes for owner occupied primary residences ONLY.
Consequences:
Other properties, such as rental residences, would NOT be placed in this new subclass of residential real property because it is not primarily occupied by the owner(s). As such, not subject to property tax reduction. In essence, does this mean renters are another class of citizens and not subject to a potential rent decrease because of a property tax decrease to the owner? Potentially! Also, this Constitutional Amendment does NOT guarantee property tax reduction. It only creates another class. In fact, the Legislature could INCREASE property taxes. They can do that now, but if passed they can specifically target this new class of homeowner residents. A bad problem today that would become worse and worse, as the tax burden falls on landlords and is passed on to renters already struggling to afford rental housing.
What about fair and equal treatment? I believe the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says it all:
Section 1.
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
What Constitutional Amendment A to the Wyoming Constitution does effectively is create a division in two classes of people; those who own and live in their home, and those who rent a home or apartment.
This Amendment does not reduce property taxes! This is a bad constitutional amendment.
Do not vote FOR, Vote AGAINST! The Wyoming Legislature needs to enact effective legislation that curbs government spending and reduces runaway property taxation.
Vince Vanata
Cody