Property tax relief program opens

Homeowners are invited to take advantage of a new program that was signed into law this weekend to offer relief on property taxes for anyone whose income and assets fall below a specific limit.

The Property Tax Refund Program has a deadline of June 6.

The program was created under Senate Enrolled Act 26, which allows counties to implement an optional refund program in which, on or before the first Monday in June, an applicant may apply for a refund on property tax paid for the preceding calendar year on their principal residence.

According to County Treasurer Tammy Jundt, who confirms that Crook County is taking part in the optional program, application forms are now available from the Treasurer’s Office.

“Wyoming has not raised tax rates, and yet Wyoming citizens are feeling the pinch as their home values have risen,” Governor Mark Gordon said in an announcement last week.

“They are seeing it in their assessed valuations on their property. Homeowners need some relief, and this program offers some.” 

Applicants qualify if their household income does not exceed three fourths of the median for the county, as determined annually by the Economic Analysis Division of the Department of Administration and Information. In Crook County, this limit for 2021 is $51,473.

An applicant’s personal assets must also not exceed $133,651 per adult household member. This calculation includes, for example, other real estate you own, the amount in your bank accounts and any investments.

It does not, however, include the value of your home, one car for each adult in the house or retirement accounts.

To qualify, the statute requires that property owners be residents for at least five years and the property itself must have been occupied for more than nine months of the year. Ad valorem tax on the residence must have been paid in a timely manner.

Refunds may not exceed half your property tax bill and are limited based on the median residential property tax liability in this county.

The legislature set aside $3 million from the general fund this year to fund the refunds. The amount each applicant receives, while capped at half your 2021 property tax bill, will depend on the number of people across Wyoming who apply for the program.