In response to pending legislation before the 68th Wyoming Legislature, the Central Wyoming College (CWC) Board of Trustees convened a special meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 11, to address the potential financial impacts on the college and the broader community, County 10 reports.
During the meeting, the Board unanimously adopted a special resolution outlining its stance on tax relief, tax reform, and local control of property taxes.
The resolution affirms the Board’s support for:
- Targeted tax relief for those in need, while encouraging voters to communicate their support for immediate assistance to their representatives.
- Comprehensive tax reform aimed at stabilizing funding for essential local services, including counties, cities, and community colleges. The resolution emphasizes the need for a carefully structured approach to tax reform that ensures all intended outcomes are considered.
- Local control over property taxes, asserting that Fremont County voters—rather than the state—should decide how to fund their local services.
- Public engagement, urging Wyoming residents to contact their elected officials to voice support for both targeted tax relief and long-term tax reform that maintains funding for local services, including community colleges.
- Official representation, authorizing Board Chair and President Brad Tyndall to advocate on behalf of the Board regarding relevant legislation during the 2025 session.
If the proposed property tax bills are enacted, CWC expects to face a budget shortfall exceeding $1 million in the next fiscal year. This would necessitate immediate budget reductions starting July 1, 2025.
CWC plays a critical role in local economic development and workforce training while also providing cultural programming. The college employs more than 200 full-time staff and 400 additional employees across Fremont, Teton, and Hot Springs counties. The resolution warns that significant tax cuts could restrict the workforce pipeline that Wyoming businesses rely on and jeopardize essential services, such as:
- Road maintenance
- Law enforcement
- Fairgrounds and community events
- Weed and pest control
- Education
One of the most immediate concerns is the potential impact on Central Wyoming College’s partnership with Fremont County School Districts. The Fremont County Board of Cooperative Higher Educational Services (FC BOCHES) is fully funded by a small property tax, which enables high school students to take college courses at no cost.
During the 2023-24 academic year, high school students completed 7,947 college credits at CWC under this program. If the proposed tax cuts are implemented, funding for these dual-enrollment opportunities would be severely reduced, limiting students’ ability to earn college credits while still in high school.
