Chamber director stresses importance of lodging tax

As the Executive Director of the Green River Chamber of Commerce and on behalf of the staff and board, it is vitally important that we work together to inform local residents of the benefits of the Sweetwater County Lodging tax that will be on the ballot this Nov. 4.

This tax is an all or nothing vote and we encourage your support in favor of it, as it benefits us all. The Green River Chamber staffs our Visitor Center and gathers information on those visitors to our area that come through the center. There are many people who travel that stop as they pass through or make our great area their destination. Last summer alone (June through October) the Chamber saw visitors from 47 states and 25 countries, Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria and Italy just to name a few.

One of the largest pieces that help bring these people to our area is the Sweetwater County Lodging tax. Monies collected from this tax help pay the marketing costs that Sweetwater County Travel and Tourism uses to promote our area. Dollars collected goes to advertising and funding to more than 50 local events that help draw out of county attendance. It also helps provide funding to maintain both the Green River and Rock Springs visitor centers, marketing efforts for the Sweetwater Events Complex and works to recruit conventions and sporting events to the area.

This tax is currently at 2 percent and will be increasing to 3 percent with a vote "For" the tax. Visitors who stay overnight in our hotels, bed and breakfasts, and our campgrounds only pay this tax. Local residents do not pay this tax unless they stay in our lodging establishments. To help promote the reauthorization of the tax and communicate the benefits it provides to our community, the Green River and the Rock Springs Chamber formed a Political Action Committee (PAC). We realize the invaluable local impact this tax has in advertising and promoting our area, in supporting our local businesses, providing jobs and contributing millions of tax dollars back into our local and state economies.

Remember, this tax is an all-or-nothing vote. Vote "YES" in support of the 3 percent lodging tax, the tax we don't pay, but we all benefit from.