In the first part of a new series, Better Wyoming looks at the causes of our state’s housing crisis—including wealthy out-of-staters paying cash and driving up prices, short-term rentals depleting housing stocks, restrictive zoning, high construction materials costs, and more.
What causes Wyoming’s housing crisis? Read More »
The Wyoming Constitution is stricter than other states’ when it comes to education funding and prohibits giving public funds to private or religious schools or individuals. The Legislature ignored these provisions in creating the new program, while Gov. Gordon slightly reined it in with a line-item veto.
Wyoming legislators wanted to give property tax relief to seniors on fixed incomes, but gray-haired lawmakers couldn’t help giving a bit of relief to themselves—despite the Baby Boomer generation being the richest in history.
Fortunately, other successful property tax proposals this session were more thought-out.
Session recap: Harrison Ford and other needy Wyoming seniors receive property tax relief Read More »
With multiple bans already in place but tied up in the courts, the Wyoming Legislature’s attempt to criminalize abortion this year was at once an attempt at a back up plan in the likely event that the state Supreme Court rules in favor of abortion access, and at the same time and admission that the procedure is, in fact, healthcare.
SESSION RECAP: Vetoed abortion bill provides a preview for fights to come Read More »
Public schools are overseen by boards elected by their communities. But more and more Wyoming legislators want to divert public education funding to “education savings accounts” that fund private, religious, and home school operations with no oversight or accountability—a model that has failed in other Western states.
Lawmakers are looking to reverse years of K-12 budget cuts in hopes of convincing the Wyoming Supreme Court to look kindly upon them in June, when the court will hear arguments in a lawsuit brought by the state teachers union and several school districts. A committee has proposed a $68 million funding increase aimed at providing teachers raises in hopes that the court will rule that they have met their constitutional obligation to properly fund schools.
Session preview: Facing a lawsuit, Wyo. legislators look to increase teacher pay Read More »
Although Wyoming has among the nation’s lowest property tax rates, sharp increases in home values have driven up tax bills to the point where relief has become politically unavoidable. Will the Legislature manage to enact it without gutting funding for public services or giving the state’s ultra-wealthy residents an undue handout?
Session preview: Somehow, some way, Wyo. property tax relief is coming Read More »
State lawmakers gutted the health agency in 2021 to the tune of $100 million in cuts, but then restored much of the funding using federal pandemic aid dollars. Now, the federal funds are expiring, and legislators will decide whether to backfill the agency’s funding or let the deep cuts return to mental health programs, senior services, provider reimbursement, and more.
Wyo. Dept. of Health to face funding challenges during 2024 session Read More »
For many Wyoming residents, going out of state for healthcare is a familiar, if troublesome and expensive exercise. For folks without reliable transportation, huge distances to doctors can prove a serious threat when they need medical help.
The problems of mental illness, suicide, and substance abuse have plagued Wyoming communities for decades. Lawmakers have taken baby steps in recent years to address the issues, but according to most state residents, much more must be done.
REPORT: Sputtering mental health efforts in Wyoming are not enough Read More »
