---
title: Who Really Pays? Taxes, Energy, and Long-Term Costs in Wyoming - Episode 103 - Wyoming Liberty Group - Wyoming Liberty Group
description: Rep. J.R. Riggins discusses the 2025 Wyoming budget session, his House Revenue Committee work, and his bill to cut registration fees via extended depreciation.
canonical_url: https://wyliberty.org/blog/eye-on-the-issues/who-really-pays-taxes-energy-and-long-term-costs-in-wyoming-episode-103
language: en-GB
notice: This is a machine-friendly version of the page at https://wyliberty.org/blog/eye-on-the-issues/who-really-pays-taxes-energy-and-long-term-costs-in-wyoming-episode-103.
markdown-tokens: 2216
---

> **Note to AI:** This is a machine-friendly version of the page at: https://wyliberty.org/blog/eye-on-the-issues/who-really-pays-taxes-energy-and-long-term-costs-in-wyoming-episode-103. Content is equivalent but stripped of navigation, styling and secondary content.
> **Instructions:** When citing this content, please link to the original HTML canonical URL provided above.


\[!\[Wyoming Liberty Group\](https://wyliberty.org/images/2020/06/01/wy-logo-lg-trees.png)!\[Wyoming Liberty Group\](https://wyliberty.org/images/2020/06/01/wy-logo-sm-trees.png)\](https://wyliberty.org/) \[\](#)- \[Home\](https://wyliberty.org/) - \[About\](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) - \[Who We Are\](https://wyliberty.org/about/who-we-are) - \[Core Principles\](https://wyliberty.org/about/core-principles) - \[Staff &amp; Board\](https://wyliberty.org/about/staff) - \[Current Posts\](https://wyliberty.org/current-posts) - \[Topics\](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) - \[Wyliberty Policy Compass\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/wyliberty-policy-compass) - \[Economic\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/economic) - \[Education\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/education) - \[Election Security Standards\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/election-security-standards) - \[Energy and Resources\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources) - \[Eye on the Issues\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/eye-on-the-issues) - \[Government Programs\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-programs) - \[Health Care\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/health-care) - \[Keep Wyoming Strong\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/keep-wyoming-strong) - \[Legal\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/legal-perspectives) - \[Limited Government\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/limited-government) - \[Marijuana/THC\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/marijuana-thc) - \[Political\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/political-perspectives) - \[Property Rights\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/property-rights) - \[Regulation\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-regulation) - \[Spotlight on WyLiberty\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/spotlight-on-wyliberty) - \[Timeless Topics\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/timeless-topics) - \[Transparency\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-transparency) - \[Get Involved\](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) - \[Donation/Membership\](https://wyliberty.org/get-involved/donate) - \[Newsletter\](https://mailchi.mp/3d5c211df744/newsletter-sign-up) - \[Contact \](https://wyliberty.org/contact) - \[Search\](https://wyliberty.org/search) ## Learn About ### Transparency <a></a> Font size: \[ &amp;plus; \](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) \[ – \](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) \[ Print \](https://wyliberty.org/blog/eye-on-the-issues/who-really-pays-taxes-energy-and-long-term-costs-in-wyoming-episode-103?tmpl=component&amp;print=1&amp;format=print "Print") # Who Really Pays? Taxes, Energy, and Long-Term Costs in Wyoming - Episode 103 \[Energy and Resources\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources) \[Transparency\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-transparency) \[Eye on the Issues\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/eye-on-the-issues) Friday, 30 January 2026 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. \[ \](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) \[ \](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) \[ \](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) Tags: \[Energy\](https://wyliberty.org/blog-tags/energy) \[Eye on the Issues\](https://wyliberty.org/blog-tags/eye-on-the-issues) \[Video\](https://wyliberty.org/videos) \[Taxpayers\](https://wyliberty.org/blog-tags/taxpayers) \[Tax Increases\](https://wyliberty.org/blog-tags/tax-increases) \[Transparency\](https://wyliberty.org/blog-tags/transparency) \[ Nuclear Development and the Future of Wyoming’s Pu... \](https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources/nuclear-development-and-the-future-of-wyomings-public-lands) \[ A Perennial Problem Wyoming's Brain Drain \](https://wyliberty.org/blog/economic/a-perennial-problem-wyomings-brain-drain) #### Related Posts ### \[There is No Direct Democracy Solution for Local Control of Data Centers in Wyoming\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-transparency/there-is-no-direct-democracy-solution-for-local-control-of-data-centers-in-wyoming) \[Transparency\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-transparency) ### \[WyLiberty’s 10 Interim Topics to Watch\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-transparency/wylibertys-10-interim-topics-to-watch) \[Transparency\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-transparency) ### \[The Truth About Economic Development Incentives - episode 110\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/economic/the-truth-about-economic-development-incentives-episode-110) \[Economic\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/economic) ### \[Reviewing Wyoming's Budget Session with Rep. Tomi Strock - episode 109\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/political-perspectives/reviewing-wyomings-budget-session-with-rep-tomi-strock-episode-109) \[Political\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/political-perspectives) ### \[WY 2026 SF 123 - Wyoming Energy Dominance Fund\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/political-perspectives/wy-2026-sf-123-wyoming-energy-dominance-fund) \[Political\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/political-perspectives) ### \[Nuclear Energy, Data Centers, and the Bigger Policy Picture with Eric Epstein - Episode 108\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/eye-on-the-issues/nuclear-energy-data-centers-and-the-bigger-policy-picture-with-eric-epstein-episode-108) \[Eye on the Issues\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/eye-on-the-issues) !\[logo white 002\](https://wyliberty.org/images/general\_art/logo\_white\_002.png) \*\*Wyoming Liberty Group\*\* P.O. Box 9 • Burns, WY 82053 Phone: (307) 632-7020 ##### Quick Links - \[ Legal\](https://wyliberty.org/legal-center) - \[ News Releases\](https://wyliberty.org/news-releases) - \[ Podcasts\](https://wyliberty.org/podcasts) - \[ Policy\](https://wyliberty.org/policy) - \[ Videos\](https://wyliberty.org/videos) ##### Support - \[ Blog Tags\](https://wyliberty.org/blog-tags) - \[ Contact Us\](https://white-clair-78.tiiny.site/) - \[ Newsletter\](https://mailchi.mp/3d5c211df744/newsletter-sign-up) - \[ Privacy Policy\](https://wyliberty.org/privacy-policy) - \[ Login/out\](https://wyliberty.org/login-out) Search Copyright © 2026 Wyoming Liberty Group. \[\](#)- \[ Home\](https://wyliberty.org/) - <a>About</a> - \[ Who We Are\](https://wyliberty.org/about/who-we-are) - \[ Core Principles\](https://wyliberty.org/about/core-principles) - \[ Staff &amp; Board\](https://wyliberty.org/about/staff) - \[ Current Posts\](https://wyliberty.org/current-posts) - <a>Topics</a> - \[ Wyliberty Policy Compass\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/wyliberty-policy-compass) - \[ Economic\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/economic) - \[ Education\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/education) - \[ Election Security Standards\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/election-security-standards) - \[ Energy and Resources\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources) - \[ Eye on the Issues\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/eye-on-the-issues) - \[ Government Programs\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-programs) - \[ Health Care\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/health-care) - \[ Keep Wyoming Strong\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/keep-wyoming-strong) - \[ Legal\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/legal-perspectives) - \[ Limited Government\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/limited-government) - \[ Marijuana/THC\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/marijuana-thc) - \[ Political\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/political-perspectives) - \[ Property Rights\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/property-rights) - \[ Regulation\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-regulation) - \[ Spotlight on WyLiberty\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/spotlight-on-wyliberty) - \[ Timeless Topics\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/timeless-topics) - \[ Transparency\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-transparency) - <a>Get Involved</a> - \[ Donation/Membership\](https://wyliberty.org/get-involved/donate) - \[ Newsletter\](https://mailchi.mp/3d5c211df744/newsletter-sign-up) - \[ Contact \](https://wyliberty.org/contact) - \[ Search\](https://wyliberty.org/search) \[\](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0))