Monday, AUGUST 25, 2025 |
Photo – 2025 Tax Levies – Courtesy Carbon County Treasurer’s Office
County officials, earlier this month, discussed the effect lower property taxes have on municipal funding.
During the August 12th Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, the Board approved the county’s 2025 mill levy assessments. Mill levies are property tax rates set by local governments to fund public services. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of assessed property value.
Carbon County lost $73.4 million in assessed property value over the past fiscal year, falling from $784,023,233 in 2024 to $710,601,836 this year.
Commissioner Sue Jones asked County Assessor Renee Snider to explain why the mill levies were down. Assessor Snider said recently passed property tax relief measures were responsible for the majority of the reduction.
Carbon County School District Number One receives 63.2 mills from state, county, and special school taxes. Last year, District One was valued at $541 million. However, according to County Assessor Snider, property tax relief programs contributed to a reduction of more than $61 million, bringing the District’s value down to $480 million.
It’s a similar story for School District Number Two. In 2024, the District’s 57.5 mill levies were valued at nearly $243 million. This year, those same levies are worth just over $230 million, a 5% reduction in assessed value.
At the August 12th meeting, Assessor Snider also said oil and gas production was down, further reducing the tax revenue allocated to Carbon County by the state Board of Equalization.
Board Vice Chairwoman Gwynn Bartlett said the state legislature is considering making the long-term homeowner exemption permanent. The exemption provides a 50% reduction in property taxes for residents aged 65 and older who have paid taxes on a residential property for at least 25 years. The measure is set to expire at the end of this fiscal year.
Assessor Renee Snider added that lawmakers are currently debating a proposal to repeal the eight-month residency requirement tied to Senate File 69. The measure grants a 25% property tax exemption on the first $1 million of assessed value for all residential properties and associated lands. Beginning in 2026, the law is set to require homeowners to physically live in Wyoming for at least eight months out of the year.
Additionally, state lawmakers have drafted a bill to completely eliminate all property taxes in Wyoming, replacing the lost revenue with increased sales and use taxes.
The Wyoming Joint Revenue Committee met on August 21st and 22nd to evaluate the impact of the current property tax relief measures and discuss potential changes. In the end, the Committee voted to amend the homeowner property tax exemption bill to remove the eight-month residency requirement. The Committee also postponed a decision to extend the long-term homeowner tax exemptions until the November legislative session.
