Downtown Development District Mill Rate Election Up For City Council Approval

Non-residential property owners within Casper's Downtown Development District may be voting next month on whether they want to continue tax rates to fund future projects undertaken by the Downtown Development Authority.

Casper City Council will vote on a resolution during its special regular session on Tuesday night that would, upon voter approval, reauthorize the current 16-mill assessment for another four years.

Casper DDA chief executive officer Renee Penton-Jones says her organization is following standard procedure.

“Every four years, the stakeholders within the Downtown Development Authority boundaries vote to either accept or reject a mill levy that is utilized for the projects that we undertake for the benefit of the downtown property owners,” Penton-Jones said.

If approved by councilors on Tuesday, the special election would be held on Nov. 5.

Penton-Jones says, if the mill rate were to be reauthorized by voters, the DDA would focus on several projects outlined in the city's amended downtown strategic plan.