Penny tax helps senior centers provide services

WORLAND — Washakie County voters on Tuesday will decide whether to continue the fifth-cent sales tax and the seven entities have specific projects in mind for the revenue if approved at the general election.

Both the Worland and Ten Sleep senior centers are using the current sales tax funding in much the same way, for general operations and to help with matches for other grants. According to Ten Sleep Executive Director Randy Firnekas and Worland Executive Director Wendy Fredricks, they will use the revenue from the tax for the next four years in much the same manner, provided it is approved by voters.

The Ten Sleep Senior Center has received $188,963 from the current general purpose sales tax. Firnekas said, “The sales tax revenue will all be used for local match to supplement our grants in order to ensure the continuance and stability of the center by providing needed services to our seniors. Prior to the earlier fifth-cent option that passed in 2014 we had received funding from Washakie County on a quarterly basis, which we were grateful for, however with an economy that was shrinking all of that eventually went away and we lost all of that support. After the tax passed in 2014, we expanded our transportation services and were able to increase our ridership levels for our senior population as well as the general public, for which we received The Wyoming Public Transit Association’s “Agency of the Year 2018” award this past June at their state convention in Riverton. This time we want to maintain the current level of services that we provide, as well as to expand them. Because of our rural location we are the only public transportation in and around the Ten Sleep area.”

He noted that Ten Sleep residents can request transportation anywhere in the state. He said they are unable to provide trips out of state.

Ten Sleep Mayor Jack Haggerty said that the transportation services offered are key for Ten Sleep. “We are isolated here for medical services and they provide transportation to doctor appointments,” he said.

Programs offered through the tax and grant funding are transportation, congregate meals and home-delivered meals. They also provided a variety of activities for seniors and health clinics including blood pressure and foot.

Firnekas and Haggerty noted that not only does the senior center provide a variety of services for the senior community, but the center itself serves as the town’s community center for a multitude of events throughout the year.

The Worland center, which received 5 percent of the tax revenue, the same as Ten Sleep, also received $188,963 during the four years of the tax. Fredricks said, “We have collected $188,963 in sales tax from April 2015 through March 2018. The tax money was completely spent on supplementing our grants.

When the tax passed in 2014, we expanded our services to include delivering meals outside of city limits and expanding in-home services in the county. This time we are looking to maintain the services we are currently providing and expand our transportation program.”

She added, “We supplement local matching funds for grants to ensure continuance and stability of the cent by providing needed services to our seniors.”

Having the sales tax revenue is key when applying for grants. “The one thing they ask is what is the community doing to support us,” she said.

Programs offered through the tax and grant funding are congregate meals, home-delivered meals, Wyoming in-home services and transportation. They also provided a variety of activities for seniors and health clinics including blood pressure, foot and hearing.

Fredricks said the purpose of the programs at the senior centers are to help keep people at home longer and keep them independent. “We want to help them maintain their choice and dignity,” she said.

Without the sales tax revenue, both Fredricks and Firnekas said they would not be able to provide the level of service that they do currently.

Worland Senior Center Board President Dan Frederick said the center had looked into trying to form a tax district (where mills would be levied as property tax). “We considered the idea but we felt this was the less obtrusive avenue.”

The tax will be for general purpose and distributed to seven entities within the county — City of Worland, Town of Ten Sleep, Worland and Ten Sleep senior citizen centers, Worland Community Center, Crisis Prevention and Response Center and Worland Fire Protection District No. 1.

Earlier this year, a committee, spearheaded by the Washakie County commissioners drafted a resolution outlining what the funding would be used for if voters approve continuing the tax. Voters in Washakie County, according to information from the Wyoming Department of Revenue, have approved a general purpose tax twice, once in 2008 and again in 2014. The tax runs for four years.

County voters have also approved a specific purpose tax twice, once in 2004 and again in 2008. Counties and municipalities may also generate revenue for economic development through a sales tax. Only one county in the state has levied that tax.

There are 12 counties in the state with 5 percent sales and use tax; one at 4 percent, one at 5.25 percent and nine at 6 percent. In the Big Horn Basin, Big Horn is at 5 percent, Hot Springs County is at 6 percent and Park County is at 5 percent.

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Online: http://www.washakieonecent.com/

This is the second in a series on the one-cent sale tax. The projects for Worland and Ten Sleep will be featured in Friday’s Northern Wyoming Daily News and the Worland Community Center Complex, Worland Fire Protection District 1 and Crisis Prevention will be featured in Saturday’s Daily News.