Laramie County Commissioner Questions Land Purchase Impact

Laramie County Commissioner Linda Heath says she is concerned about the possible impact of a proposed purchase of lands by the state of Wyoming.

The state is considering buying an area about the size of the state of Connecticut from Occidental Petroleum for $1 Billion dollars.

Governor Mark Gordon has said the income generated by the land could be a good deal for Wyoming taxpayers. But Commissioner Heath called Glenn Woods on the ''Wake Up Wyoming" program to voice her concerns about the loss of tax dollars to local governments if the sale goes through. As long as the land is owned by Occidental, it can be taxed.

But of the state takes over ownership, that land will no longer be taxable and the revenues could conceivably be lost.

You can hear Heath's conversation with Glenn Woods in the audio attached to this article.