This message is paid for by ALEX for WYOMING
I’ve heard from many Teton County voters that one of my top priorities in Cheyenne must be to address the dysfunctional property tax assessment system. In 2018, the average assessed property value in Teton County increased by 17%, though many of you have seen increases of more than 100%.
These sudden and dramatic increases have placed an unfair and serious burden on many long-term residents of our community such as retirees and those on a fixed income. Property taxes should not be forcing members of our community to leave the valley. We can do better.
Unfortunately, many of the rules and regulations regarding property tax assessments are determined in Cheyenne. Addressing the property tax assessment system will be a high priority for me in Cheyenne. Let’s consider creative solutions like a “homestead exemption”, which could exempt a flat dollar amount or flat percentage of home value from property tax. I will also work to reinstate the Low Income Senior Citizen Tax Relief program which the State Legislature failed to renew in 2017.
To add insult to injury, less than a year ago, my opponent, Democratic incumbent Andy Schwartz, unsuccessfully proposed a real estate transfer tax which would have placed an additional burden on homeowners and many younger families looking to buy their first home. This attempt to further tax the homeowners of Teton County is tone-deaf and shows an outdated approach to revenue generation. I commit to you that I will never support a real estate transfer tax.
We need fresh perspective and innovative ideas in Cheyenne to grow and diversify state revenue, not “tax and spend” measures that damage our communities. I have more than 25 years of experience in the global financial industry. Most recently, I managed over $2 billion of retirements fund in domestic and international markets. I’ve also been a private investor and a mentor to many outstanding young CEO’s and start-ups here in Teton County as a board member of Silicon Couloir. I know what it means to be relevant in today’s global economy, and have a vision for Wyoming as the greatest state to raise families, businesses, and communities.
