Dear Editor,
Our 15 year old dog named Jimmy is blind and diabetic. He is on insulin and has to take a pill he can’t stand so we hide it in a piece of liverwurst.
What does that have to do with Amendment A and the sneaky, hard to swallow pill being fed to us under the guise that it is for our own good? Marlene Brady, who is running for WY House District 60, alerted me to the fact there is a hidden agenda in this Amendment A. She shared some info with me that comes from a gentleman named Rich Weber. If one actually THINKS about the below figures, you can see this has not a darn thing to do with helping We the People survive. Wyoming was one of the hardest hit by the current regime wiping out the livelihood of many Wyomingites back in 2020. Some are STILL struggling to put food on the table and keep a roof over our heads.
Per Mr. Weber:
1 - Owner occupied primary residence 165,359: 135,237 are age 60 or over living on savings or fixed income. 87.5%, which is 118,332 rely on social security.
2 - Wyoming Persons below poverty level income is 59,861 (Federal poverty level is $14,580)
3 - 125,893 Social Security direct deposit payments were made in Feb 2024 - 103,877 are over 65.
4 - 7 in 10 live with a chronic illness
Mr. Weber continues with stating that, “Last year the Legislature couldn’t give property tax relief but you stuffed $1.4 billion more in the states reserves and added $700 million more into a bloated $1.9 Billion school budget. Last year you couldn’t pass 21 property tax relief bills but you deposited $80 million into Gordons Wyoming Energy Authority account for carbon sequestration that you established in 2022. That account has over $150 million in it. Now bureaucrats and elected officials try to justify stripping another $280 million in residential property tax from the people whose property taxes have gone up 87% since 2017.”
How many of you realize that this department has not had an audit since 1989????
The Department of Revenue raised the Fair Market Value of homes which in turn, increased Homeowner’s Insurance, some close to 100%. It will cause property taxes to be increased on business and rental property owners which will have a trickle-down effect on those who can barely pay their rent, and feed themselves and their families. Those business owners/landlords will add their tax increase onto those who are already doing without necessities just to keep a roof their family’s heads. Another attempt at more land grabs? Those who stir the pot should have to lick the spoon. I am sick and tired of those who do not have to live by the laws they force down throats of those of us who voted them in to PROTECT AND SERVE us!
There is a nasty hard to swallow pill hidden in this ball of liverwurst called Amendment A. People talk about youngsters not being able to save enough to buy a house of their own but I think there is a greater point missed here. A lot of those youngsters can’t even afford living in the government assisted apartments and pay for a phone and utilities, let alone even DREAM of owning their OWN home. It is easy for those in high places to make laws for people that they, themselves, do not have to live by. We were not all born with a silver spoon in our mouths nor have we had the opportunity to become rich by being a PUBLIC SERVANT! Me thinks there are some misplaced loyalties here! Some can’t even afford a lousy PLASTIC spoon, let alone higher rent that WILL be caused by this horrendous Amendment A!
Mr. Weber says, “This amendment splits your residential property and opens it up to more taxes. The amendment states “owner occupied residence” only. That means your mother-in-law apartment, cabin, outbuildings on your property, etc., will be taxed at a different higher rate. THE AMENDMENT IS NOT TAX RELIEF OR TAX REFORM. Also beware - do not confuse it with the People’s Petition to Reduce Assessed value by 50% that circulated this year. Our Initiative will not be on the ballot until 2026. VOTE NO on Amendment A.”
Thanks for listening and thank you Mr. Rich Weber and Marlene Brady for opening my eyes to this sham of an Amendment! Vote YES for Marlene Brady for your Wyoming House Representative for District 60 and NO on Amendment A!
Simone Keevert
Green River
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