Casper Mayor Makes a Case for Taking the ‘Optional’ Out of the One Cent Sales Tax

The mayor of Casper joined the Wake up Wyoming show hosted by Glenn Woods this morning to discuss putting what is now known as the  Optional One Cent Sales Tax -- or fifth penny tax -- into perpetuity.

Nothing is permanent, Mayor Bruce Knell said, as it can be repealed at a later date.

But if the majority of Natrona County communities agree, the tax will be one step closer to being locked in for the time being.

Knell supports taking the option off the ballot for planning and efficiency purposes, he said. Furthermore, he argues time and money are spent to push for the optional tax, which could otherwise be used elsewhere.

"It has passed for 50 years, the last 12 years was 70% county-wide," he said.

In order to move forward in the process of passing, four of six Natrona County towns need to agree, including Casper, Mills, Evansville, Bar Nunn, Midwest and Edgerton.

Next, it goes to the Natrona County County Commission.

Woods responded that it's not necessarily that people wish to remove the tax, its that they want to have a say in the matter.

Knell added that he is concerned for smaller communities, which unlike the City of Casper, use their funds for operational monies, and without those monies will have a difficult time just providing basic community services.

Knell also believes that if the now optional One-Cent Sales Tax were to fail in the future, it would have a devastating impact in Casper, too, as the city needs its proceeds for infrastructure.

The conversation between Knell and Woods largely echoes sentiments expressed during the City of Casper's Council Meeting on Aug. 1.

Public comments were divided. One passionate commentor said that the council's "backdoor approach in stripping a Constitutional right from the people is nothing more than an exercise of totalitarianism by elitist dictators."

Yet others were in favor of making the tax more permanent, citing the City's transparency and accountability when it comes to the use thereof. Watch the full meeting below.