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Cap tax passes handily - By Richard Reeder
This document was published online on Thursday, November 09, 2006
Park County voters cleared the way for three major capital projects Tuesday night.
The one percent capital facilities tax was approved 6,761-4,906, or 58-42 percent.
The $13.2 million cap tax will fund the move of the library in Cody to the Park County Complex on Stampede Avenue, the construction of an aquatics center near the fairgrounds in Powell and the remodeling of the pool at Meeteetse Schools.
Estimates say the tax will be in place for 30-36 months. Once the total has been raised, the extra one cent of sales tax will end.
Unlike the $7.4 million cap tax for the Park County Jail/Law Enforcement Center (approved in 2002 by voters 6,547-3,867, or 63-37 percent), large overages are not expected. The Legislature changed the rules for collecting sales tax to prevent such future overages.
Supporters expect tourists to pay about one-third of the tax during its collection period.
“We are feeling really good down here in Powell,” pool committee member Dave Bonner said Wednesday morning. “This was a great victory for us and all of Park County.”
In Cody, the vote was 3,207-2,994 in favor of the tax. In Powell the winning margin mushroomed to 2,266-530, and the measure was approved in Meeteetse, 269-155. The cap tax won in seven of 12 Cody precincts, all seven Powell precincts and all three Meeteetse precincts.
“The voters in each precinct in Powell saw the loss of the pool and what was at stake,” Bonner said. “They stepped up and helped solve the need.
“All the precincts here went for the tax,” he added. “This was a pool-heavy vote.”
The cap tax will provide $2.2 million for the move and expansion of the library in Cody.
It will provide $7 million for construction of the Powell pool and fund a $2 million endowment for operations and maintenance.
Meeteetse will receive $1.5 million for construction and $500,000 for an O&M endowment.
The passage of the tax also clears the way for other grants to be given to the projects.
The library will receive $2.2 million from the State Loan and Investment Board and the Park County Library Foundation will contribute $100,000.
In Powell, the private Moyer Foundation will give $500,000 to the O&M endowment.
Bonner said the pool committee will begin work on architectural plans immediately.
“We understand that time is money,” Bonner said. “Construction costs rise each month and we don't want to waste time now that we know we have the money coming in.
Cap tax campaign chairman Bruce McCormack said he was “so proud of the manner in which Park County people came together and cast such a heartening and positive vote.
“It really speaks well for our unity, our quality of life and for the future of all three communities in Park County.”
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