Local lodging tax will likely remain intact for now

A proposed statewide lodging tax would not affect Crook County until 2022, when the additional two percent that voters approved on November's ballot expires. According to Steve Lenz, chairman, the Crook County Promotion Board will continue forward with its plans to distribute funds to promote tourism at least until that time.

"HB-66 Statewide Lodging Tax bill passed in the House last week and appears to garnering support throughout the Senate, the Wyoming Office of Tourism, and the lodging industry at large," says Lenz, referring to an article published recently in the Douglas Budget that suggested the bill's support has been largely due to the fact it preserves the local option tax and the delayed phase-in.

"Similar to Crook County, Natrona county residents also voted in a 4 percent lodging tax, and like Natrona, if this bill passes, we won't see any changes to Crook County's 4 percent lodging tax until 2022," Lenz says.

"The State of Wyoming continues to support a maximum of 4 percent lodging tax collected in any of the cities, towns and counties. What that translates into is: if a statewide lodging tax is passed into law, Crook County could revert back to a 2 percent lodging tax in 2022 and we would collect the same percentage of funds that have been passed and approved by Crook County voters since 1989."

According to a press release from the Majority of the Wyoming Legislature, HB-66 passed through the House last week and is intended to deliver on the promise to modernize the tax structure without increasing taxes for Wyoming families. It would remove funding for the Wyoming Office of Tourism from the General Fund and create a source of revenue of which an estimated 85 percent is paid for by visitors to the state.

Lenz says the board was aware during last year's legislative session that there was a push to create a self-sufficient Office of Tourism, funded by a statewide tax.

"We also believed Crook County needed to be proactive and pursue the additional two percent lodging tax to promote our area," he says.

"That's why we worked hard to encourage the passage of a four percent lodging tax, promising the additional two percent collected would return to the cities, towns or county where it was garnered."

Local distribution

At least for now, the additional two percent lodging tax that voters approved in November will result in the collection of additional funds that Lenz says will then be available to organizations and individuals to apply for through a grant process.

"The Crook County Promotion Board has the statutory responsibility to distribute the tax dollars collected and to ensure those taxes are used for the promotion of tourism," he says. "An online application is available on the DevilsTowerCountry.com website that can be downloaded and filled out, or applied for online." 

Meanwhile, Lenz says, the board is working on revising its bylaws, rules and regulations to create the most equitable form of distribution possible. Now in the second 45-day public comment period for this process, the board encourages interested parties to review the revisions, make comments or attend the public hearing at 5 p.m. on March 5 at the Pine Haven City Council Chambers.

"The objective has always been to promote locally at a more effective level and to set in motion new revenue streams that would allow advertising on a larger scale that would encourage record numbers of tourists to visit northeast Wyoming, fill our hotels, shop our businesses, eat in our cafes and restaurants, and enjoy our history and natural beauty," Lenz concludes.