With project requests totaling more than $230 million for the sixth-penny tax initiative, the Sweetwater County commissioners fear a tax request that big could turn off voters.
During the Sweetwater County commissioners meeting Tuesday morning, Commissioner Lauren Schoenfeld updated the other commissioners on what was discussed at a recent sixth-penny tax meeting.
Schoenfeld said requests have come in from each town, city and agency requesting money, including Bairoil with $4.5 million, Granger with $8.8 million, Green River with $84.7 million, Rock Springs with $41 million, Reliance with $3.7 million, Superior with $480,000, Wamsutter with $21.9 million, Sweetwater County Events Complex with $24 million, MHSC with $10-20 million, YWCA with $3.5 million and the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport with $3.4 million.
Schoenfeld said the total was about $230 million in requests, which is estimated to take about 13 years to pay off. Schoenfeld said she encouraged the entities making the requests to look at the amounts again and at how long it will take to pay them off.
Schoenfeld said she would be more comfortable with an amount that would take about four years to pay off.
“I really see the sixth penny as something the people decide,” Commissioner Roy Lloyd said.
However, Lloyd said he just doesn’t see how the taxpayers will go for that amount. He said even if a voter was well educated on this particular issue, the amount and how long it will take to pay it off, could cause the voters to vote against the tax.
Commissioner Jeffrey Smith said 13 years is just a bit too long.
“I’m not opposed to doing a sixth-penny tax to the public, but that’s not going to fly,” Smith said.
Commission chairman Wally Johnson said the commission is responsible for being fiscally responsible. He figured something around $80 million would be more reasonable.
“I don’t think the public would go for over $200 million,” Johnson said.
Commissioner Wendling said he can understand why the amount is so big. He said as the state continues to withhold rainy-day funds, while cities and towns continue to suffer.
“We’re just clawing for bread crumbs,” Wendling said.
He predicts the need for infrastructure improvements will only get worse as cities and towns’ funding decreases year after year.
“The total number is astonishing that’s come forward,” Wendling said. “It’s directly related to the state.”
Wendling said he would be more comfortable with a number between $80 million and $100 million.
He was concerned that the county didn’t even have any projects added into the list yet.
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