Who Really Pays? Taxes, Energy, and Long-Term Costs in Wyoming - Episode 103

Wyoming State Representative J.R. Riggins joins us to talk about the upcoming budget session and his work on the House Revenue Committee.

Riggins is back at the Legislature after heart surgery last year, and this is his first full budget session. Time is tight and decisions matter for Wyoming taxpayers.

We talk about his bill to cut vehicle registration fees by extending depreciation schedules. Riggins calls it one of Wyoming's most regressive taxes and explains how it works like a property tax. He also makes clear he won't "give a tax break with one hand and take it back with the other."

We also get into property tax relief: constitutional amendments, exemption changes, and Amendment A, plus the strain all these policy shifts put on county assessors.

Energy policy is a big part of the conversation. Using Wyoming Liberty Group's report Balancing the Scales, we dig into how oil, gas, and coal carry a heavier tax load than wind, solar, and nuclear. Riggins talks about megawatt taxation, expiring exemptions, out-of-state electricity exports, and how Wyoming often doesn't bear the costs of renewable energy development.

We wrap up with an honest talk about what happens after the power gets generated: wind turbine blade disposal, solid waste planning, and spent nuclear fuel storage. Riggins reminds us that energy development has consequences that last for decades, and policymakers need to face them head-on.