Entities make their case to continue fifth-cent sales tax

TEN SLEEP — Eight entities are hoping voters on Nov. 8 will continue the fifth-cent or one-cent general purpose tax to continue to provide a vital source of funding for each.

During a forum at the Ten Sleep Senior Center on Oct. 20, the majority of the entities spoke to the lunch crowd and answered questions. Those in attendance were asked their thoughts about the sales tax and the consensus from the public was that they knew what it was for and that they were used to it. What they would not support would be a new tax, many said.

GENERAL TAX

INFORMATION

The one-cent general purpose tax has been continuously and overwhelmingly approved by Washakie County voters since 2014, voting in favor 1,854 to 1,017; and again supporting the tax in 2018, 2,073 to 1,007.

Approximately $1.8 million is generated annually through the tax which comes directly to the county to be distributed to the entities seeking funding. According to County Treasurer Doris Kern the amount the tax generates monthly fluctuates based on sales in Washakie County. From July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022, the one-cent general purpose tax raised $1,807,396.34, which was distributed to the current seven entities — Worland and Ten Sleep senior centers, Town of Ten Sleep, City of Worland, Crisis Prevention and Response Center, Worland Community Center and Worland Fire Department.

For the next four years of distribution, based on a resolution approved by the County Commissioners, Worland City Council and Ten Sleep Council, there will be eight entities receiving funding — Worland and Ten Sleep senior centers, Town of Ten Sleep, City of Worland, Crisis Prevention and Response Center, Worland Community Center, Worland Youth Learning Center and Washakie Development Association. The fire department had asked for funding to help purchase a new ladder truck and did not request to be on the 2023-2027 distribution of the fifth cent.

According to information from the Wyoming Legislative Service Office, Wyoming imposes a 4% statewide sales and use tax, of which 69 percent is directed to the state’s General Fund and the remainder is distributed to counties and municipalities.

For the fifth cent or one-cent general purpose tax, the entire funding comes back to Washakie County and is distributed to the entities set forth in the resolution and as approved by the voters.

Washakie Development Association Executive Director LeAnn Baker said at the Oct. 20 forum in Ten Sleep, “This is not a new tax, it’s a continuation of the tax and it is still one of the lowest in the state.” She noted that Park County and Sublette County are the only counties that levy just the state mandated 4% sales tax.

“Many of these organizations use the funding to leverage their money, turning a penny into dollars,” she said. Many of the entities, use the funding as matches for grants for specific projects or for operations.

If approved Nov. 8 the tax in Washakie County will remain at 5%.

THE 8 ENTITIES

Worland Senior Center Executive Director Wendy Fredricks said most of the services Worland offers are the same as the Ten Sleep Senior Center, providing nutritional meals, transportation for seniors and the public. She said one thing Worland offers that Ten Sleep does not is in-home services but Worland offers the service throughout the county including Ten Sleep.

The in-home services are basic services that may include light housekeeping, bathing and providing medical alert systems in the home.

Fredricks said they are seeking an increase from 5% of the sale tax distribution to 8% for the next four years. She said that would amount to about $120,000 annually. The tax represents about 14% of the center’s overall budget.

She said a portion of the funding is used as a match for grants that help sustain the services at the center.

In addressing some questions, Fredricks said the need for in-home services has increased over the past few years and with the closing of the Bonnie Bluejacket Memorial Nursing Home in Big Horn County there are higher risk people needing assistance.

She said it is getting harder to find long-term care availability for people, and many do not want to go into nursing homes because of fear of being locked down due to COVID and thus not having any visitors.

They are fully staffed at the center, including for the in-home services and needs are based on highest risk first, not on location so if there are people in Ten Sleep who need the services they just need to call.

With rising costs of food, utilities, paper products and more, Fredricks said they are working hard to keep costs low, with meals at Worland offered at $4, but added, “every meal is served at a loss.”

Randy Firnekas, Ten Sleep Senior Center executive director, said their meals are at $3 currently, and both agreed that without the sales tax funding helping supplement the meal cost they would have to examine pricing.

Firnekas added that the sales tax, for which they would continue to receive 5% of the tax distribution, accounts for 29% of the overall budget.

“It helps us get grants as each grant requires a local match.”

Worland Community Center Complex director Steven Hunt said they partner with some of the agencies who also receive funding including the City of Worland who handles snow removal, and with the senior center that is adjacent.

They also rent space to the Worland Youth Learning Center.

He said the center is truly the center for many activities in the community. The Bureau of Land Management fire crews have an agreement to use the center as housing if needed for large fires. It is also a triage center and has been used during the ice jam flooding in 2017.

They also partner with the Worland Recreation District for programs in the center and on the center lawn.

They rent space for many organizations including the WYLC, Northwest College, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Department of Workforce Services and University of Wyoming Extension.

“We touch everybody in the community,” he said. The Worland Youth Learning Center would receive 23% of funding which provides 70% to 75% of the funding for the center’s operations, Hunt said.

“It’s still a large school. Utilities are the same as a large school would be. They are quite high. That’s why we are adamant and hopeful we can keep this penny tax going for everybody involved,” he said.

Hunt read a statement for Crisis Prevention and Response Center. With only two full-time employees and one with a prior commitment, one had to stay on call so a representative was not able to attend the forum, he said.

They also have three volunteers and are always looking for new volunteers.

The center serves survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, elder abuse and child abuse and endangered human trafficking in Washakie County.

Services include crisis intervention, court and medical accompaniment, emergency and financial assistance, emergency shelter, and 24-hour coverage.

They receive state and federal funding, but funding has been cut in recent years by $36,000.

They are seeking to continue to receive 2% of the tax distribution. The funds will be used for grant matches and serving victims in the county.

Hunt added, “It’s a much-needed service. It’s one you wish wasn’t busy, obviously, but very important.”

City of Worland Public Works Superintendent Nick Kruger said the city uses the funding for the 41 miles of streets within the city limits and 2.5 miles of streets outside the city limits.

The city will receive 40% of the distribution over the next four years if the voters continue the tax.

He said many of the street projects are also funded by grant funding but if “we do not have a local tax and show that we are helping ourselves we are moved to the bottom of the list.”

Kruger noted the city received nearly $1 million in grant funding for the Culbertson Avenue project that was completed last year and included street, water and sewer improvements.

He said annually the street budget is $600,000 with the sales tax. Without the tax, the annual funding for the street budget would be $200,000.

Street projects including chip sealing, overlay, reconstruction, curbs and gutters and purchasing equipment including the recent equipment that helps the city utilize asphalt millings to repair potholes.

Worland Youth Learning Center Executive Director Amanda Macy said they are seeking 2% of the distribution and will be new to the distribution this year. If approved they would receive about $25,000 annually. Their other funding sources are a 21st Century grant and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) grant.

She said between after school and summer they serve about 180 students. After school programs run from 3 to 6 p.m. and summer programs are 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Services are offered for students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade with the majority being in kindergarten through third grade.

Besides herself, there is one other full-time employee, a unit director and they employ four high school students.

Tax money would be used to match grant funding and help provide for sustainable programming.

“Daycare in Worland is full. There are not a lot of places for younger kids to go,” Macy said.

The Washakie Development Association is also new to the tax distribution. Speaking on behalf of the organization since the board chairman Tom McKinnon was unavailable, was executive director LeAnn Baker.

She said they operate with an 11-member board and they help businesses with business retention, expansion and attraction, by matching resources with the business.

“We focus on primary jobs,” she said.

The WDA is seeking 5% of the funding from the tax over the next four years, which in four years would total $300,000. They would like to use the funding to assist with improving their industrial area on Fourth Street where Crown Cork and Seal is located, where the Ten Sleep Brewery opened their expanded brewery and where Unique Precisions Industries relocated to from California.

When asked, Baker said they realize is affordable housing is a challenge in the county but the WDA cannot build housing but if a developer is interested they can help with finding resources for the developer.

If a private company wanted to build and operate an assisted living facility, the WDA can help them by finding resources and incentives but they cannot operate such a facility.

There was not a representative from the Town of Ten Sleep at the Oct. 20 forum. The town will receive 15% of the funding. Per information from the Washake One Cent Education Committee, the town will use the tax money to “supplement funds as collected in accordance with state law and local authorization, and/or grants, as available, to be used for improvements to streets, water, sewer and other town-owned and/or maintained infrastructure.”

Fredricks said the tax is the easiest and fairest way to touch so many people in the county. “Everyone does their part.”