Since coal companies are no longer buying coal leases, Wyoming may need to find a new way to fund school construction.
Friday the legislature’s joint revenue committee was asked to support legislation that would increase either property or sales taxes to pay for school construction. But several legislators say it’s too early to consider a tax. Revenue Committee member Tom Reeder has voted against the last several budgets and he’s calling for lawmakers to stop spending first.
“I have heard nobody talk about…we could make government more efficient by doing XYZ.”
Reeder also says it would reduce costs to come up with a standard school construction design.
“What we to do in my opinion is to get elementary schools, junior high schools, and high schools, we need to get a model on what we are willing to spend on those.”
Reeder says if a tax is needed in the future, they can address it then. But Senate President Phil Nicholas says delaying a tax hike could keep the state from raising the money it needs to continue building and maintaining schools. The committee will study the issue over the next several months.
