Wyoming Governor Sues Board of Equalization, Asks Court to Enforce Property Tax Cap
The state says the cap is a lawful exemption and warns a noncertification could block 2026 taxes for counties and schools.
- On Tuesday, Gov. Mark Gordon filed a lawsuit in Laramie County District Court to force the State Board of Equalization to certify residential property tax values after the board refused due to disparities created by a 2024 tax cap.
- The Wyoming Legislature passed a tax cap two years ago to relieve homeowners, but the Board reports it created "thousands of value inversions" in each county, prompting the panel to refuse certification due to constitutional uniformity concerns.
- Governor Gordon argues it is the judiciary's role to determine constitutionality, while the lawsuit defends the cap as falling "squarely within the legislature's authority to create property exemptions" under the Wyoming Constitution.
- A noncertification could prevent local governments from collecting 2026 taxes on residential properties, jeopardizing funding for K-12 education, roads, and law enforcement; the Wyoming County Commissioners Association supports Gordon's decision to seek judicial clarification.
- The lawsuit names chairman Jayne Mockler and vice chairman Martin Hardsocg as defendants, though board member Karl Anderson is not named. Mockler told WyoFile on Tuesday that "the sooner it can get to the court the better.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Associated Press News
Wyoming governor sues Board of Equalization, asks court to enforce property tax cap
Gov. Mark Gordon filed a lawsuit Tuesday to force the State Board of Equalization to certify residential property tax values after the panel concluded last week it could not do so due to disparities created by a 2024 tax cap.
Gordon sues Board of Equalization, asks court to enforce property tax cap
Gov. Mark Gordon filed a lawsuit Tuesday to force the State Board of Equalization to certify residential property tax values after the panel concluded last week it could not do so due to disparities created by a 2024 tax cap. “This legal action, if successful, will prevent confusion and disruption to residential property owners and counties who are in the midst of winding up the property assessment determinations,” the Governor’s Office said in…
Governor Gordon Challenges Board of Equalization Decision Refusing Certification of Residential Property Tax Valuations
Governor Mark Gordon has directed Attorney General Keith Kautz to file a suit in the First Judicial District Court in Laramie County, requesting the court to issue declaratory relief and an immediate injunction. The injunction would require the State Board of Equalization to certify residential values recognizing appropriate exemptions passed by the legislature in 2024 for single-family residential structures and associated improved land.Accordi…
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