Casper voters get ballot preview, open houses on 8 sixth-cent capital proposals

CASPER, Wyo. — Postcards with the ballot language for all eight capital projects up for funding by a proposed limited sixth-cent sales tax will be in voters’ mailboxes beginning today, according to a release by the City of Casper on Friday.

On Sept. 12 and Sept. 16 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., open houses at the Casper Recreation Center will give voters the opportunity to ask questions about each
proposition, the release said.

“Based on an estimated amount that could be raised with a temporary one percent addition to Casper’s sales tax and funding needs for infrastructure, Council selected eight stand-alone propositions to be on the ballot,” said City Manager J. Carter Napier.

The ballot preview is also included below, courtesy of the Natrona County Clerk’s Office.

Voters can check yes or no on each of the eight proposals. Should any of the propositions pass, the sixth-cent tax would expire in two years or when the target amount for the approved projects is raised, whichever comes first.

City officials said this summer that paying for some of the expensive and necessary capital projects without the temporary sixth-cent sales tax would negatively affect future city budgets and possibly result in cuts to services.

The projects are below. City leaders note that the $4.4 million for a new Fire Station #1 would only cover land, design and engineering; not the construction cost.

• “Proposition 1: $7,300,000 and interest earned thereon to the City of Casper to reconstruct the aging, failing, and undersized Metro Animal Shelter to better provide for animal health and safety.” (The current shelter is located at 2392 Metro Road.)
• “Proposition 2: $5,000,000 and interest earned thereon to the City of Casper to fund a portion of the total construction costs of a second sheet of ice adjacent to the existing Casper Ice Arena.” (The arena is located at 1801 E. 4th St.)
• “Proposition 3: $4,200,000 and interest earned thereon to the City of Casper to install a new quad capacity chair lift to replace the aging and outdated lift and add lighting at Hogadon Ski Area.”
• “Proposition 4: $4,000,000 and interest earned thereon to the City of Casper to construct two fastpitch softball fields for league competition and high school use.”
• “Proposition 5: $4,400,000 and interest earned thereon to the City of Casper to partially fund costs associated with the replacement of the City Casper’s outdated Fire Station #1.”
• “Proposition 6: $5,000,000 and interest earned thereon to the City of Casper to fully replace the outdated and obsolete equipment for the 911 Dispatch Center.”
• “Proposition 7: $3,600,000 and interest earned thereon to the City of Casper to build a new auxiliary gym to provide much needed space for programming at the Casper Recreation Center.” (The Center is located at 1801 E. 4th St.)
• “Proposition 8: $1,500,000 and interested earned thereon to the City of Casper to design, reconstruct, and preserve the historic Washington Park Bandshell.”