In the Wyoming Nonprofit Network’s (WNN) 2026 State Policy Agenda, we state that “sound tax policies are a cornerstone of the social compact under which nonprofits operate.” WNN supports tax policies that strengthen and protect the charitable nonprofit sector, and under our public policy program we take positions on issues that have broad impact on the entire sector.
With the unanimous support of our board of directors, WNN is announcing its opposition to Wyoming Initiative 1, the Homeowners Primary Residence Property Tax Exemption Measure. If passed, this citizen-initiated ballot measure would exempt 50% of the assessed value of a primary residential property from property taxation. This is the first citizen initiative in Wyoming to reach the ballot in 30 years
Our official position statement follows:
The Wyoming Nonprofit Network supports targeted and responsible property tax relief for Wyoming residents. However, we do not believe Wyoming Initiative 1 is the right approach.
Our opposition is centered on our concern for the ballot initiative’s long-term impact on local communities and the services residents rely upon. The ballot language does not provide sufficient clarity about the true financial impacts of this initiative, leaving unanswered questions about how local governments would replace lost revenue and continue funding essential services. A significant reduction in funding for infrastructure, schools and community colleges, emergency medical services (EMS), wildfire response, libraries, and other community priorities could result in significant impacts to Wyoming’s nonprofit sector.
Wyoming’s charitable nonprofits are core community partners, working each day to address community needs in every county in the state, often in partnership with local governments. They operate senior centers, food banks and pantries, homeless services, programs for veterans and at-risk youth, and mental health and human services that reach residents in all 23 Wyoming counties. Local governments across the state partner with these organizations because nonprofits can deliver efficient, cost-effective services that meet critical community needs. When budgets tighten, discretionary contracts and grants—often those supporting nonprofit services—are among the first to be cut.
For these reasons, the Wyoming Nonprofit Network opposes Proposition #1 on the November 2026 ballot. We encourage our members and all Wyomingites to consider the initiative’s long-term impact on the health and wellbeing of Wyoming’s communities. We believe Wyoming must first assess the impacts of the property tax reduction programs already implemented by the Legislature before pursuing additional relief.
The Wyoming Legislature has enacted multiple property tax relief measures in recent years that have provided relief to taxpayers. These include the 25% homeowner’s exemption, the long-term homeowner exemption, and other structural changes. The impact of these changes has already been felt by local governments, Wyoming’s community colleges, fire districts, conservation districts and libraries. This ballot measure has no plan for how to replace over $140 million in lost funding. WNN remains concerned about the ongoing erosion of stable revenue sources and the downstream impacts that this property tax cut could have on charitable nonprofits around the state.
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