Property taxes, electricity rate hikes among Legislatures top priorities

By Senator Ogden Driskill

This week I had the privilege of convening the Wyoming Senate for the start of the Budget Session of the 67th Legislature. Budget sessions occur on even-numbered years, and, as the name suggests, the primary purpose is to approve a balanced budget, as required by the Wyoming Constitution.

As the President of the Senate, I am committed to passing a responsible and fiscally conservative budget that invests in our state's needs to today and saves for the needs of tomorrow. Just as Wyoming's hard-working families have to balance their pocketbooks, so too should our government.

That's what we have done with the budget drafted by the Joint Appropriations Committee (JAC) through weeks of hearings and mark-ups during the interim. This bill, which will be debated and amended further, allocates a combined more than $500 million into general funds and education savings, and it cuts more than $30 million in spending above and beyond what was proposed in the Governor's budget – all while making still making critical investment into schools, infrastructure, and Wyoming energy.

There is still a lot of work to be done. This week both the Senate and House of Representatives started on changes and input into the budget bill.

I look forward to working with my colleagues through this process knowing that we will reach the best outcome when all our constituents are represented at the negotiating table. Even when we don't see eye to eye, we can and should work together to get to a budget that will serve our state well.

Of course, there are many other bills up for consideration besides the budget – in fact, 212 from the House and 131 from the Senate.

My legislative priorities are the same as those I have heard from voters all across our state: property tax reform; investing in Wyoming energy to meet demands here at home and to secure our place as a national energy exporter; ensuring our electrical grid and laws benefit our state first; and protecting parents' rights to make decisions about their children's education.

Property taxes in Wyoming have reached a crisis point. Long-time families are being taxed out of their homes.

Out-of-control rates have forced retirees to find part-time work, driven up rents and pushed the dream of owning a home out of reach for many. And while increases have varied from county to county, this is truly a statewide problem, which requires a statewide fix.

Several pieces of legislation promise to provide relief where it's needed most and get to the root of the problem. House Bill 45 is one. It would cap annual rate increases at five percent, providing certainty that a property owner's bill isn't going to jump by 50 percent or more year-to-year, as it has in some parts of the state.

Like property taxes, too many residents have been struggling with rising utility rates, which have jumped by as much as 30 percent. Senate File 24 would create stability, empowering the Wyoming Public Service Commission to take preemptive action to ensure that utility projects serve our state first, not those on the West Coast.

Other likeminded bills will improve grid reliability, ensuring that electricity generated in Wyoming will keep the lights on in Wyoming.

The Biden Administration's "woke" education agenda has many Wyoming families rightfully concerned about what their kids are learning in school. Senate File 9 would require schools to inform parents about what's being taught in their schools. The bill would also require parents to opt-in for their child to receive non-emergency health services in school, providing a layer of protection against gender mutilation.

Call me old fashioned, but I'm a conservative problem solver. I believe in finding common ground to get to common sense solutions, even when we don't see eye to eye on an issue. There are too many tough issues facing our state and our people to let political grandstanding get in the way. The Legislature has just 15 more days to pass a budget and a slew of other important legislation. I intend to make the most of each.

Please email me at [email protected] if you have thoughts on legislation being discussed during this session.