Wyoming legislative panel rejects tax proposals

CHEYENNE (AP) — A Wyoming legislative committee has rejected all the tax proposals it was considering to bolster the state’s sagging revenues.

 

February 1, 2018



CHEYENNE (AP) — A Wyoming legislative committee has rejected all the tax proposals it was considering to bolster the state’s sagging revenues.

The Joint Revenue Committee actually voted on only one of the five tax bills on the agenda Wednesday.

After a proposed bill to impose a 1 percent tax on purchases at leisure and hospitality establishments around the state failed on a 6-6 vote, the committee declined to even consider four other proposals.


Those proposals included raising the state sales tax to fund school construction and maintenance and increase property tax assessment rates.

Committee co-chairman Rep. Mike Madden of Buffalo says any support for the tax proposals dissipated in recent weeks with news that the state revenue picture was improving because of a rebounding oil industry.

The hospitality tax proposal to impose a 1 percent tax on purchases at hotels, restaurants, bars and other leisure and hospitality establishments around the state would have raised more than $17 million annually. Money raised from the tax would fund the state Tourism Office, which spends millions of dollars around the world promoting Wyoming’s tourist attractions.

Advocates of the tax say it would provide a stable revenue stream for tourism promotion and reduce the burden on the cash-strapped state general fund, which funds the office now.

 
 

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