|
|
#10734 - 02/10/10 02:18 PM
Specific Purpose Tax
|
WyoZ
Member
Registered: 12/16/09
Posts: 9
|
I read with interest today in the Daily Roomerang that the City Council, County Commisioners and City of Rock River are finalizing projects for the “Specific Purpose Tax” and are proposing a “special” election for it in May. This raises some questions in my mind...
Why will it be a “special” election?
How much will this “special” election cost us tax payers?
Can they wait and add this question to the electorate in the already scheduled Aug. primary or even wait till Nov. for the general election?
Is it not true that “special” elections draw fewer voters?
Don't these Govt. entities want the largest number of voters voicing their opinion for this tax?
I would encourage any Council member, Commission member or Administrator to respond and enlighten me with answers.
I think they know exactly what they are doing. They are concerned about our tough economy and today’s political climate are worried that if too many of Albany County’s voters were able to vote on this tax, it may not pass!
Perhaps they are aware that during “special” elections the turnout is almost always lower and history has shown proponents are more motivated to go to the polls and vote.
For this reason they are willing to spend thousands of dollars out of a very tight budgets to “sneak” the tax by in hope that it passes and not wait for a primary or general election where they may get a more true representation of voters!!!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#10736 - 02/11/10 04:35 PM
Re: Specific Purpose Tax
[Re: WyoZ]
|
Joe Hageman
Member Extraordinaire
Registered: 10/29/02
Posts: 496
Loc: Laramie
|
It is probably true that hold a special election in May will result in a smaller voter turnout than the regular election. That is likely the reason that the last time the SPT was brought to the vote in a special election it was also done in May and is the reason that the existing 1% sales tax would expire before the regular election or the primary.
I recall that, when the last special election was held, many believed that holding the election at that time would result in more of those voting being more permanent residents of Albany County who would be more likely to vote for a tax to be used for local improvements because they would reap the benefit of the tax.
Hope this perspective helps.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#10737 - 02/12/10 10:47 AM
Re: Specific Purpose Tax
[Re: Joe Hageman]
|
WyoZ
Member
Registered: 12/16/09
Posts: 9
|
Thanks Joe... I guess I fail to understand why there would be more permanent residents in Albany County in May as compared with August or November – even students are here each of those months.
I can see wanting to pass new the tax as the old expires, so there is not a loss of the tax dollars. Perhaps you can find out when the current tax expires - I believe it is based on when the total amount voted on has been collected – not a time expiration.
Also, with your past Council experience perhaps you may know how much this “special” election will cost us tax payers??
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#10738 - 02/12/10 01:59 PM
Re: Specific Purpose Tax
[Re: WyoZ]
|
Joe Hageman
Member Extraordinaire
Registered: 10/29/02
Posts: 496
Loc: Laramie
|
I actually do not know how much this one will cost but I think that has probably already been estimated by the County Clerk who would have to budget for it. You may have an interest in the bill at the legislature that, if passed, would allow these special elections on Petition of voters instead of just resolutions of the governing bodies.
http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2010/Introduced/HB0115.pdf
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#10739 - 02/12/10 02:49 PM
Re: Specific Purpose Tax
[Re: Joe Hageman]
|
WyoZ
Member
Registered: 12/16/09
Posts: 9
|
Interesting Joe - looks like if the Govt. powers don't get the SPT... iwth only 5% of signatures the public could turn right around and place anything they wish for as a SPT --- of course, I would think if anything failed the Govt enties my get the signatures to try and try again...
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#10740 - 02/15/10 11:29 AM
Re: Specific Purpose Tax
[Re: WyoZ]
|
Joe Hageman
Member Extraordinaire
Registered: 10/29/02
Posts: 496
Loc: Laramie
|
You may recall that, because the Town of Rock River did not want the "second cent" sales tax on the last ballot, a petition was circulated to put that tax on the ballot. Many city employees, including firefighters, worked to circulate the petition. The "second cent" sales tax failed at the polls. While the SPT sales tax may raise 42 million for Government projects, passage of taxes at the polls is not a slam-dunk in these times.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#10741 - 02/15/10 08:04 PM
Re: Specific Purpose Tax
[Re: Joe Hageman]
|
Spartan
Member
Registered: 10/02/09
Posts: 9
|
Ya know, they might have better success at additional taxation if they outlined exactly what the money was going to be spent on, and didn't resort to a last ditch measure to lump everything together (like the Rac Center) and combine all the little special interest groups together. But at least the voters all voted. And personally, I think the West LAramie Fire station is a good deal, as long as they can staff it.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#10743 - 02/16/10 02:40 PM
Re: Specific Purpose Tax
[Re: Spartan]
|
Joe Hageman
Member Extraordinaire
Registered: 10/29/02
Posts: 496
Loc: Laramie
|
There will be a Resolution which must be passed in identical form by the Laramie City Council, the County Commissioners and the Rock River Town Council which specifies not only how much of the SPT each entity would receive but what projects in what amounts each entity will fund with the tax revenues if it passes.
I understand that today is the Commissioner's meeting to consider the Resolution and that the other governing bodies will be meeting over the Resolution shortly. Once that Resolution is in its final form, I will be glad to post a link to it so that e-laramie viewers can look at the specific projects and amounts which are included to be paid for with the tax.
The last draft I looked at had the County's $10,900,000 to be divided among Road and bridge projects, airport addition, Detention Center improvements, Civic Center debt,Fairground improvements and aquifer protection. The City's $27,720,000 was to be divided to water infrastructure, wastewater infrastructure,street improvements, drinking water aquifer protection and then solid waste disposal. Rock River's $3,340,000 was to be $3,000,000 for water infrastructure improvements, $40,000 for sewer, $150,000 to replace the rescue unit and $150,000 for improvement of the Town Hall.
Each governing body determines the amount for each project and, if the tax is approved, those are the projects to be funded as set out in the Resolution. You can access information about the specifics of the City's projects by looking on there website at the agenda items from Council meetings like that Special Meeting that was held 2/9/10.
This is why this "Specific Purpose Tax" differs so much from the second cent tax that failed. This one is for specifically identified projects all lumped together but which are known at the time of voting on the tax. If passed, the tax revenue cannot be used for anything other than these projects and this makes this vastly different than the second cent tax where the money simply went to the General Fund.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Moderator: Creepy Eddie Haskell, Evilaynde
|
0 registered
and 12 anonymous users online.
|
|
650 Members
6 Forums
590 Topics
7722 Posts
Max Online: 100 @ 01/04/07 04:43 PM
|
|
|
