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Fremont County reviews draft 0.75% sales tax MOA to fund ambulance, air and ground transport
Summary
A draft Memorandum of Agreement for a proposed 0.75% sales tax was presented to Fremont County commissioners, allocating 54% for ambulance service, 31% to Riverton for commercial air service and 15% for ground transportation; a 30-day public comment period and unanimous consent rules were highlighted.
Fremont County commissioners on May 19 reviewed a draft memorandum of agreement outlining how proceeds from a proposed 0.75% sales tax would be divided if voters approve the measure.
The MOA, presented by Kyle Butterfield of the Fremont County Association of Government Joint Committee for Funding Key Services, would allocate 54% of proceeds to the Fremont County Treasurer for ambulance services, 31% to the City of Riverton to support commercial air service, and 15% to the Fremont County Association of Governments for public ground transportation. Butterfield said local businesses would collect the tax, remit it to the State of Wyoming, and the Wyoming Department of Revenue would distribute the funds to jurisdictions based on population percentages.
Why it matters: supporters say the dedicated revenue would create sustained funding for emergency medical transport and preserve local air service; critics and member governments will have to weigh the distribution formula, auditing provisions and the governance triggers for any changes.
The draft MOA includes several governance features designed to limit misuse: proceeds would be kept in a separate line item to prevent diversion to other operations, signatory governments would retain the right to audit each other’s relevant books and records, and any future change to the agreement would require the unanimous written consent of all signatories. The MOA also states it becomes effective only if voters approve the ballot measure; if the measure fails, the MOA is null and void.
Commissioners were told a 30-day public comment period would be held by Fremont County Government before finalizing any local signatory action. Commissioner Clarence Thomas recommended including the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribal governments in future agreements as they represent voters within Fremont County.
Next steps: the draft MOA was presented for committee and public review; the board did not take final action on the agreement at the May 19 meeting. A public comment period will follow and any local signatory action will depend on the ballot outcome and further unanimous approval by participating governments.
