Citizen-Led New Library Recommendation Taking Shape

An update on the developing recommendation for a new Natrona County Library includes tentative leanings toward a special purpose one-cent-tax to finance the $25 million dollar project. Most folks attending an informational meeting Thursday like that choice of funding.

"I like the optional tax because it does drop off. There's not the concerns of interest. I've worked at banks, majored in marketing, taken a lot of business classes. Interest kills. The faster we pay it off the better."

Candi Lund says she doesn't want to see the public pay the estimated  extra $9 million in interest that could accrue with a bond issue. Estimates also suggest the special tax could pay for the project in less than two years.

A Citizen Led Task Force is putting together a recommendation to the library broad on the project and have one more meeting left before finalizing.

At this point their recommendations include a just-under 83 thousand square foot building that would be located on library-owned property on the west end of the Old Yellowstone District at a cost of around $25 million.