County in danger of not receiving any assistant funds for wind energy projects

The statutes read:

“...but no impact assistance payment shall be made for any period in which the county or counties are not imposing at least a one percent (1%) tax authorized by W.S. 39-15-204(a)(i) and 39-16-204(a) (i) or at least a total of a two percent (2%) sales tax authorized under W.S. 39-15-204(a)(i), (iii) and (vi) and at least a total of a two percent (2%) use tax authorized under W.S. 39-16-204(a)(i), (ii) and (v).”

Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Public Information officer Keith Guille said the lodging tax would not count as the two percent tax and added another tax would need to be passed.

The county was unable to provide how much it has been granted through four hearings prior to deadline, but provided requested information showing more than $13 million has been requested thus far for the projects.

The ISC, with the idea the tax passes, approved the county’s request for more than $3.7 million.

Previously reported, the county also requested more than $6.7 million for the TB Flats Wind Project, more than $4 million for the Ekola Flats Wind Project and more than $3.9 million for the Boswell Springs Wind Project.

The assistance funds would go towards each city impacted, as well as adding staff to the sheriff’s department, emergency services and road and bridge and public works funding.

Commissioner chairman John Johnson had not heard of the statutes until Thursday and said he didn’t have a good answer as to why the statute had slipped through during the previous three hearings.

“They brought it to our attention and it was like a, ‘Oh, dang’ moment,” Johnson said. “Obviously, we are going to have to wait and see how the election pans out, but it is going to affect us in that we are going to have to do as good a job as possible to educate the voters to the power of the fifth penny and where it all goes to.”

Guille said they received a report from the Department of Revenue about the taxes the county has and had to determine if the county would be eligible.

Commissioners plan to depend a lot on media outlets of Carbon County to get the word out.

Absentee voters who have had a change in heart on the matter, but have already voted, will not be allowed to revote.

“If they voted absentee, that’s it,” Johnson said. “That’s their vote. Period. There is nothing we can do to change that. They can’t ask for their ballot back.”