• Additional one cent sales tax would fund municipal projects if passed

Next week voters in Lincoln County will determine if a county-wide sales tax increase will go into effect. The Specific Purpose Sales and Use Tax would increase the sales tax from 5% to 6% for an estimated four years until the predetermined projects are funded in the amount of $23,354,078, at which point the tax would be required to sunset.

During an interview on SVI Radio’s Weekday Wake-Up Morning Show, Afton Town Administrator Violet Sanderson explained that while she is not advocating either for or against the sales tax increase, she does want voters to understand how it would work before going to the polls. “This is, what I believe, to be one of the most transparent options for the community to utilize, if selected during the election process, to provide funding for those special projects that are listed on the ballot,” stated Sanderson.

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If enacted, all the money raised from the tax will be kept in the county and distributed to the nine incorporated municipalities to fund projects which were required to have been predetermined before the initiative was placed on the ballot. “Once all funds are collected, the tax stops,” Sanderson noted. “This is not like the 5th penny where there will be an option for it to be full time all the time.”

The predetermined projects for each town include:

Town of Afton: $4,000,000 for Canyon View Park improvements to include a new bathroom, pickleball courts and all abilities outdoor playground.

Town of Star Valley Ranch: $3,300,000 for walking paths that lead to forest rails, development of town commons, and pavement of major arterial road within the town.

Town of Thayne: $3,100,000 for an indoor sports complex to include pickleball courts, soccer fields, office space and kids play area and other recreational facilities.

Town of Alpine: $1,665,000 for the Palisades Riverwalk Feasibility and Design Project, Alpine Greenbelt Pathway Design and Construction Projects, and Alpine Civic Center Backup Power Project.

Town of Cokeville: $3,833,737 to repave West Main Street and Collett Avenue, build a new ADA-accessible bathroom for Town Park and replace a section of the main water line.

Town of Diamondville: $1,155,175 to repairs, resurface and improve various roads and replace a truck sander for winter road maintenance.

City of Kemmerer: $4,483,238 for various street and road improvement projects.

Town of LaBarge: $1,647,938 for back-up generators for Town Hall, Fire Hall/Clinic and water treatment plant and also replacement of non-compliant air masks for the fire department, a new fire engine and a portable rink for summer/winter entertainment.

Town of Opal: $169,000 for backup power for the water system, including the Town Hall, and upgrade backup power for the wastewater system.

“One thing that I think people should understand is that (this tax) is not 100% paid by residents,” continued Sanderson. “We’ve got industries in this county that will foot a lot of the bill on this tax. And tourism, which is currently the second leading industry in our state, is going to pay a lot of that too.”