Commissioners host legislative review in Worland

WORLAND – Washakie County Commissioners, along with Wyoming County Commissioners Association Executive Director Peter Obermueller, hosted a listening session with legislators in Worland on Thursday, to review issues of importance to the state, and review upcoming legislation.

Various members of the legislature were in attendance, including Senators Ray Peterson (District 19, Cowley), Wyatt Agar (District 20, Thermopolis) and Representatives Jamie Flitner (District 26, Greybull) and Nathan Winters (District 28, Thermopolis), to hear concerns and answer questions.

A 12-page handout outlined upcoming and in-process legislation that the Commissioner’s Association will debate and either approve or disapprove when they meet at the WCCA Legislation Conference in Cheyenne, Feb. 13-16.

Of most interest is the ongoing state budget deficit, with major loss of mineral revenue, and the long-term possibility of tax revenue raises.

Peterson, chairman of the Revenue Committee, noted that Wyoming’s economy is really in a “boom or bust” cycle, depending on mineral wealth.

“The state is still robbing the savings account at an alarming rate, and until we have nothing left in revenue then we will look at raising property taxes,” said Peterson. “Although the average Wyoming voter will tell you raising taxes is not a real positive solution.”

From an appropriations standpoint, the legislators pointed out that Governor Matt Mead has requested $105 million for local government and general fund spending, $64 million to complete the Capitol renovation project, $205 million for school facilities, approximately $50 million in increased spending for Department of Health programs (including Title 25 and drug courts) and .5 percent increase to the employer/employee contribution to the Wyoming State Retirement System.

One Appropriations bill still under draft that garnered some conversation was concerning the Wyoming lottery. Currently the lottery pays revenue to the counties only after prizes and expenses have been paid. This bill would guarantee that 5 percent of total lottery proceeds would be deposited in the state’s general fund first. One drawback to the bill would be a cut or complete elimination of local revenue from the current lottery system.

The Revenue Committee is advancing a tobacco tax bill (HB43), which would increase taxes on cigarettes, snuff and chewing tobacco. Currently, local governments receive 14 percent of total tobacco taxes. The Department of Revenue estimates, however, that an increased tax would result in reduced consumption, losing local governments around $400,000 per year.

The Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee is proposing a bill (HB38) which would reduce election offenses and penalties, taking false voting and registration offenses of the felony list, and would require the county sheriff to investigate all cases of voter fraud if requested by the county clerk.

The same committee has also proposed a bill (HB14) that would restrict extraterritorial jurisdiction by municipalities, which would restrict a city’s authority outside the city limits. The bill would then turn the half mile authority of city ordinances into a county approval process, and would remove the need for city approval for a development within the one-mile radius zone.

One bill heavily supported by the state county clerks is HB85, which would require auto dealerships to collect motor vehicles sales tax at the time of sale, rather than the county treasurer’s office. As noted by Washakie County Clerk Mary Grace Strauch, the county has around $2 million in uncollected taxes, because new car buyers sometimes evade sales tax, and law enforcement doesn’t have the budget or time to check for valid plates with car buyers.

Potential bills that are not fully written or submitted include one that would allow the State Loan and Investment Board to guarantee low interest loans to communities with lower than average sales tax revenue due to population, to go toward improvements such as sewer and road projects.

A bill under development by Rep. Winters, requested by the Sheriff’s and Chiefs Association, would amend speeding fines so that the bond schedules would be reduced from 9 to 3, and so that the lost fine (which currently goes to school districts) would be replaced with a fee that would help cover the cost of law enforcement training.

When it was pointed out that a fine that benefitted law enforcement could create a “Boss Hogg” type of environment, Winters reinforced that the revenue would be used only at the state’s law enforcement training facility for curriculum and training, and would not benefit the local law enforcement directly.

Concluding the meeting, Cloud Peak Executive Director Mark Russler gave an update on the Title 25 program, which accepts patients from Washakie, Park, Fremont and Big Horn counties.

Currently, under Title 25, patients entering the Lighthouse for care are assessed for possible risk (suicide or self-harm) or alcohol or drug abuse, and held until they have been stabilized or released by court order. The five-bed Lighthouse center housed 58 patients in 2017, 70 patients in 2016, and so far, 9 patients in 2018.

The 201 7expansion of the facility to a seven-room center, with a social detox area and a lockdown area, came in at a cost of $97,000.