By Marcus Huff
Staff Writer 

One-cent tax group comes to consensus

Committee to form to educate voters

 

May 3, 2018



WORLAND- The Washakie County Commission hosted a sales tax meeting on Tuesday, to help determine the best use for a general one-cent sales tax for seven county entities made eligible for the funding.

Representatives from the seven tax-entitled entities, the City of Worland, the Town of Ten Sleep, the Worland and Ten Sleep senior centers, the Worland Community Center, Crisis Prevention and Response Center and Worland Fire Protection District No. 1, discussed how to move forward, and decided on a final percentage breakdown for the funds, to be voted on in November on the general election ballot.

At the start of the meeting, the entities had stood at 105 percent funding requested, requiring the recipients to reconsider their individual request to bring the total down to 100 percent. Ultimately, the Worland Community Center and Worland Fire Protection District No. 1 agreed to reduce their request, bringing the final total to 100 percent, to be distributed as follows:

The City of Worland would receive 42 percent of available funds; Worland Community Center 25 percent (down from current level of 28 percent), Town of Ten Sleep 15 percent, Worland Fire Department 6 percent (down from original request of 10 percent), Worland and Ten Sleep Senior centers 5 percent each and Crisis Prevention 2 percent.

The City of Worland request had gone down from the current level of 45 percent to 40 percent but after discussion, finished with the 42 percent.

The ranking for the tax distribution was determined by a tax survey completed by Washakie County voters earlier this year. By ranking, the City of Worland came in first with 111 votes for first place, followed by the Worland Senior Center for second, the Worland Community Center Complex for third, the Ten Sleep Senior Center for fourth, the Town of Ten Sleep for fifth, Worland Fire Protection District No. 1 for sixth, Crisis Prevention and Response Center for seventh, Worland Youth Learning Center for eighth, Washakie County Youth Alternatives for ninth and the Washakie Development Association for 10th. The last three entities dropped out of the process in April.

Going forward, the group will now form a voter education committee to determine the best ways to inform voters of the need and usage of the tax funds before voters have a chance to vote to continue the tax in November.

While the group discussed the role of the committee, it was agreed that an outside, non-entity member should co-chair the committee. The role would be open to anyone and interested parties are encouraged to contact Commission Chairman Terry Wolf.

It was also agreed that while each entity cannot use funds from their budget, a Political Action Committee should be registered and funding should be determined from either private, personal funds, donations or fundraisers.

A meeting date for May 22 at 5 p.m. was set for the entities to reconvene at the commission chambers and form a voter education committee, with officer assignments.

BACKGROUND

On Jan. 16, the commission originally facilitated a meeting with entities currently covered under Joint Resolution 315, which splits one-cent sales tax funds, along with new parties interested in becoming sales tax recipients, in light of the state’s waning budget.

Voters most recently supported the general purpose optional one-cent tax in 2014 with 64 percent of Washakie County voters in favor. The current tax will be collected through June 30, 2019.

Voters in November will decide if the one-cent general purpose tax is continued. A resolution from the county and the Worland and Ten Sleep councils must be approved in August to get the tax question on the ballot.

Currently 21 of Wyoming’s 23 counties levy the general purpose tax with Park and Sublette counties not levying the general purpose tax.

By statute the general purpose tax may be continued “if favorably supported by a resolution adopted by the governing body of the county and by ordinances adopted by the governing bodies of at least a majority of the incorporated municipalities within the county.”

Big Horn County has continued the tax by resolution and ordinance. Washakie County has not considered that option, with Wolf previously stating that they prefer to bring the tax back before the voters every four years.

Eleven counties levy the specific purpose tax, including Hot Springs County, which was approved in 2016. Only one county, Goshen, levies the .25 percent tax for economic development.

 
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