Ballot Propositions:  Pro/Con Statements

There are two local propositions on the ballot in Albany County that voters will be asked to consider.  A majority of all people voting in the election must vote in favor of the propositions for them to pass. If a person who casts a ballot in the election chooses to skip over the proposition and not make a choice, their abstention is the same as a “no” vote.  If the propositions pass (as these did in 2002), they must be voted upon every four years until they fail.  If one should fail to pass, at least 11 months must go by before it can be voted upon again.

 

Proposition 1

Wording on the Ballot

Shall the Board of County Commissioners of Albany County, Wyoming, continue to impose a one percent (1%) sales and use tax upon retail sales within Albany County for general revenue?

 

Explanation

This extra tax is optional in Wyoming Counties. State statute allows counties to enact two percent in additional sales taxes beyond the four percent the State mandates. This “general revenue” one percent optional tax is different from the “special purpose” one percent optional tax.   Albany County did enact the special purpose tax to build a recreation center and other specific projects.  That tax continues in effect until the needed revenue is raised. With the special purpose tax, Albany County collects a 5 percent sales tax, and with the “general revenue” tax added, sales taxes would continue at 6 percent, as they have been for the past four years.

 

Pro Proposition 1

Albany County does not have as much mineral wealth as do some other counties in the state and depends on sales and use tax revenues to provide much of the County budget. Money collected with this tax stays in the county, and provides basic County services including the Public Library and the Road and Bridge Department. It is important to continue this revenue source.

 

Con Proposition 1

Taxes on sales are regressive, everyone pays the same amount regardless of income, so those with the lowest income are impacted much more than those with greater wealth.  Voting “no” on this proposition is an opportunity to lower sales taxes in Albany County from 6 percent to 5 percent.

 

Proposition 2

Wording on the Ballot

Shall the Board of County Commissioners of Albany County, Wyoming, continue to impose, as allowed by Wyoming Statute, a four percent (4%) excise tax upon the sales price paid for lodging services within Albany County, the primary purpose of which is for local travel and tourism promotion?

 

Explanation

This optional tax is also allowed by statute and it can be no higher than 4 percent. It can be used to mitigate the effects of tourism and/or to promote tourism. Albany County is choosing to impose the tax at the maximum rate allowable and to use it for tourism promotion.

 

Pro Proposition 2

This is a relatively painless tax because the people who pay it are visitors to the community who use our roads and depend on our services, yet pay no taxes to support these except through sales tax and the lodging excise tax.  We all benefit from services provided to us by the Albany County Travel and Tourism Board that is supported by this tax.  These services include promotional events, a Laramie web site, and brochures.  Some funds are distributed to local groups to encourage out-of-state attendance at local events.

 

Con Proposition 2

Why should tourists be singled out for special taxes?  Just because popular places in Wyoming like Jackson may need this tax money to mitigate the impacts of tourists, Albany County does not need it to mitigate impacts and we do not have to try to be a tourist destination like Jackson.