As real estate values continue to skyrocket in Jackson Hole, that means property taxes are rising as well. In many cases, that's making it more difficult for older folks on fixed incomes to continue to live in Teton County. KHOL's Will Walkey reports on a proposed solution that would put tax revenues back into the pockets of longtime locals throughout Wyoming.
Town Councilor Jonathan Schechter caused a stir in the last week after he sent a snappy email to the Teton Board of Realtors, saying he wouldn’t support giving it $12,000
The House Revenue Committee was again disinterested in new taxes last week as it voted down a real estate transfer tax, and an expansion of the sales tax from goods to services.
Teton County legislators supported the real estate tax. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort lobbied against the sales tax expansion.
Rep. Cathy Connolly, D-Albany, was the lead sponsor on the sales tax bill. Pointing to a report on Wyomingâs estimated âtax capacityâ â the ability to increase taxes while remaining competitive business-wise â she argued that Wyoming has plenty of âcapacity.â
âWe have a reputation for being business friendly â no two ways about it. Our taxes are part of that,â Connolly said. âBut what these studies indicate over and over and over again is that we can increase our taxes and still remain competitive. We have that capacity.â