MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD at the Revenue Committee meeting
The Wyoming Legislature’s Revenue Committee will meet Dec. 17 – 18 to consider proposals and hear public comments related to taxes and revenue.
Since the meeting is online, this will be an excellent opportunity for Wyoming residents across the state like you to make your voice heard.
THE BASICS
When
The best time to speak to the committee will be on Friday, Dec. 18, during the “general public comment” period, which begins at 11:45 a.m.
The committee will also consider a number of specific proposals over the course of the two-day meeting and will solicit comment about those proposals as they come up.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL MEETING AGENDA
How
You must sign up in advance to provide public comment via this form.
The form asks “What agenda item are you providing testimony?” Unless you would like to speak on a specific proposal on the agenda, simply put “general public comment.”
In the box titled “Testimony,” you can enter a few brief comments about what you plan to say at the meeting.
IMPORTANT: You must submit this form to testify by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 16.
After you submit the form, the Legislative Service Office will contact you via email with a link to join the Zoom meeting.
TESTIFYING:
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Your testimony should be 3 – 5 min. and include three simple parts: Who you are, what you want, and why you want it.
Who you are
Briefly introduce yourself—your name, where you’re from, and a bit of information about you.
Examples:
My name is Paul Paulson, I’m from Casper, Wyoming, and I’ve been a teacher in Natrona County schools for 15 years.
My name is Mary Marley, and I’m a bartender, student, and single mother from Laramie.
What you want
Briefly tell the Revenue Committee what you want from them, and the Legislature in general.
Examples:
I want the Wyoming Legislature to raise taxes.
I’m here today to ask you to create new forms of revenue to make up for what we’re losing from the mining industries.
I want Wyoming to diversify its tax base by getting an income tax.
Why you want it
Finally, briefly share some of your own personal beliefs, observations, and experiences with the lawmakers to let them know why you want what you want. Speak from the heart. You don’t need to be a policy expert.
Examples:
Strong public schools are critical to Wyoming’s ability to diversify our economy. We cannot harm our education system by making further cuts. So, we’re going to need to raise new revenues to fund our schools and educate our children.
Wyoming is already struggling to provide affordable healthcare to its residents. Further cuts to the Department of Health’s budget will continue to harm our communities. I would rather see new taxes than see my neighbors suffer because they can’t access healthcare.
Wyoming has depended on the mineral industries for a ‘free ride’ for the past 50 years, but now that free ride is over. It’s time for the Legislature to diversify our tax system and stop depending on fossil fuel mining to fund our state.
BACKGROUND READING
Here are a few recent articles on taxes and budget cuts to consult before you testify:
Proposed budget cuts pound public services – WyoFile
Wyoming’s ‘free ride’ from the fossil fuel industries is over – Casper Star-Tribune
Wyoming lawmakers refuse to raise revenues to fund education (or anything else) – Better Wyoming
“Recalibrating” Wyoming education funding while the system collapses – Better Wyoming
The costly lessons of Wyoming’s limited revenue diversity – WyoFile
Wyoming lawmakers respond to the budget crisis by doing nothing – Better Wyoming
Wyoming needs a strong healthcare system to diversify its economy. It doesn’t have one. – Better Wyoming