Tax Dollars At Work And What It Means For Casper’s Growth

The first presentation of the 2026 Casper College Community Learning Series, “Exploring Today’s Issues, Shaping Wyoming’s Tomorrow,” will focus on public taxes and their impact on the community. Titled “Your Tax Dollars at Work,” the free program is scheduled for Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. in Room 225 of the Robert and Ruth Dove Conference Center at the Walter H. Nolte Gateway Center on the Casper College campus.

The event will feature three speakers with expertise in local government and public finance. Annette Pitts, CEO of Visit Casper, will explain the county’s 2% lodging tax, which supports tourism and the local economy. Zulima Lopez, director of Casper’s Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities Department, and Janine Jordan, Casper’s city manager, will discuss the fifth- and sixth-cent sales taxes, which fund infrastructure, local nonprofits, and voter-approved projects.

Pitts brings over 15 years of experience in destination marketing and management, including leadership roles at Experience Olympia & Beyond and the Cascade Loop National Scenic Byway. Lopez, a Casper College alumna, has served the City of Casper since 1999, becoming director of her department in 2021. Jordan, who started as Casper’s city manager in December 2025, previously spent 20 years in Laramie’s city government and holds an MPA from the University of Wyoming.

The Community Learning Series is designed to connect the Casper community through learning, dialogue, and discovery, offering thought-provoking programs that encourage civic engagement and foster lifelong learning.

The presentation is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Casper College website.