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Sweetwater County commissioners say they will not back an immediate extension of the specific purpose tax
Summary
Commissioners told the joint powers board they will not support a near-term extension of Sweetwater County—s specific purpose tax, citing the need to honor the original sunset and uncertainty about state tax changes; county collections to date and an estimated completion date were presented.
Sweetwater County commissioners told the county—s specific purpose tax joint powers board they do not support moving forward now with a new or continued tax measure, saying voters should be given a break once currently promised projects are complete.
Commissioner Slaughter, who chairs the 2023 specific purpose tax joint powers board, presented collection figures during the Dec. 2 meeting: "Our total collections to date are $44,605,618.68," he said, adding an average full-month collection of $1,553,578.69, that 55.22% of the tax had been collected and that the balance left to collect was $36,176,479.30. At the current pace, Slaughter said, "Our estimated full collection month... would be December 2027." He also cited Wyoming statute 39-15-203 a3a, which requires a county governing body to adopt a resolution approving any proposition to impose the tax before it goes to voters.
Mayor Mickelson of Rock Springs urged the commission not to pursue an extension and argued the county must honor the sunset voters were promised. "We entered into a contract with the voters... we need to not break that trust, and we need to honor what we told them that it would sunset," he said during the public-comment period.
Several commissioners said they share that view. Commissioner Jones said he was opposed to backing a new initiative now, saying, "I just don't I don't want this to have the appearance of a never ending tax," and cited uncertainty about pending state tax changes. Commissioner Richards said the earliest he would support placing a new specific purpose tax on the ballot would be the 2028 general election, to allow a one- to two-year break for taxpayers.
Commissioner Slaughter said he would relay the commission—s stance to the joint powers board at its next meeting. No formal motion to continue or reauthorize the tax was brought before the county commission on Dec. 2; the discussion was recorded as guidance to the joint powers board.
