Wyoming Freedom Caucus Urges Approval Of Proposition 1

The Wyoming Freedom Caucus is urging voters to approve Proposition 1.

The proposal would create a homeowner's property tax exemption that exempts 50% of a primary residence's assessed value from property taxation. It could only be used on one property per person and would not apply to rental or business properties.

The tax cut would only apply to the actual home, not the land around it.

Opponents Say It Would Devastate Wyoming

Opponents of the proposal say it would threaten public safety by cutting funding to local fire districts and law enforcement. They also point out that 70 percent of the money raised by the taxes goes to local schools. Since the Wyoming Supreme Court has ordered that Wyoming schools be funded at a certain level, they say the loss of those tax revenues would have to be made up somehow, and say supporters of Proposition don't have a clear plan for how to do that.

Some opponents have even raised the spectre of a state income tax possibly resulting from the passage of Proposition 1.

Governor Mark Gordon, for example, says the state would be "devastated." He says basic public safety items like police and fire protection would be gutted, as would funding for schools.

You can read more about Gordon's recent comments on Prop 1 here.

But supporters of the proposition say there is plenty of money available to make up the revenues that would be lost because of Proposition 1 and accuse opponents of scare tactics and hysteria.

The Wyoming Freedom Caucus has joined the fray, posting the following video on Facebook: