Preparing for Nov. 6 vote to continue sales tax

WORLAND – The Washakie County Commission facilitated a meeting on Tuesday with members 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.

Attendees included mayors, council members and senior centers staff from Worland and Ten Sleep, representatives from the Worland Community Center and the Washakie County Crisis and Prevention Center (all current recipients of sales tax funds), and interested members from the Washakie Medical Center Board of Directors and the Washakie Development Association, exploring the option of becoming sales tax recipients.

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.

The majority of the tax, 45 percent, goes to the city of Worland, 28 percent is distributed to the Worland Community Center Complex, 15 percent to the town of Ten Sleep and 5 percent each to the Worland and Ten Sleep senior citizen centers. The Crisis and Prevention Center in Worland receives 2 percent for improvements.

In addition to the 4 percent sales tax the state levies, counties may impose up to 3 percent in additional general purpose, specific purpose and economic development taxes with voter approval, according to Wyoming Statute 39-15-204.

Currently 22 of Wyoming’s 23 counties levy the general purpose tax. The only county not levying the general purpose tax is Sublette County.

Commission Chairman Terry Wolf explained the current process, and had each current receiving body explain how they utilize funds from the sales tax.

Wendy Tejada with the Worland Senior Center explained that the facility uses the funds to match grants for continued operations and improvements, while Randy Firnekas with the Ten Sleep Senior Center agreed. “We basically can’t keep going without these funds,” said Firnekas.

Worland Mayor Jim Gill noted that $1.5 million received from the tax had gone to street improvements. “We’re making progress, thanks to this money, and we would sure like to stay partnered,” noted Gill.

Ten Sleep Mayor Jack Haggerty explained how the money had helped cover engineering costs and partly fund major improvement projects like upgrading the town’s sewer system and lagoon.

Worland community Center Executive Director Steve Hunt noted that 75 percent of the organizations operating budget comes from the sales tax money.

Karina Rice with the Crisis and Prevention Center noted that the tax funds have enabled them to pay bills toward building a future shelter, and to help pay back a loan. The shelter is expected to begin construction in June.

Members of the hospital board asked to be added to the recipients of the tax, explaining that they do not have the reserves to account for maintenance operations to the new hospital.

Commissioner Fred Frandson recommended that the county ambulance services be added as well, since the ambulances would need to be replaced eventually, and the cost was more than the county can bear, after cut-backs from the state.

Mayor Gill suggested adding the Washakie Development Association, to help advocate development in the county and to offer incentives to prospective businesses, in the form of sewer and water utilities.

The majority in attendance agreed that a mailed poll to voters would be a good idea, to see where funding priorities exist, before determining a final resolution, and before the Nov. 6 vote on continuing the tax.

“Ultimately,” said Commissioner Aaron Anderson, “we are going to have to ask the public if they will support an additional cent in tax. The mineral wealth [in the state] is not coming back right now, so block grant funding might not exist.”

Wolf noted that state legislators are reticent to help communities that don’t show some incentive to help itself, especially in times of down-turn.

According to a report by the Wyoming Department of Revenue, Washakie County collected $7,210,940 in sales tax revenue in 2015, $5,860,326 in 2016 and a total of $2,791,112 in fiscal year 2017.

Under the recommendation of Chairman Wolf, the gathered entities agreed to meet again on Feb. 6 to form a committee to draft a new resolution, based on those new parties wanting to join the sales tax recipients. Wolf also expressed that the program is open to more entities joining, as long as they get involved from the beginning.

In closing, Frandson noted that that mineral wealth of the state isn’t expected to rebound anytime soon, and the Legislature will be shy to fund much. “Without this tax, the money’s not just going to come from somewhere.”