GUERNSEY — In 2014, the voters of Platte County approved a three percent lodging tax for the purpose of promoting local travel and tourism, pursuant to Wyoming State Statute §39-15-204(a)(ii). Every four years (2020, 2024, 2028, etc.) at the general election, county residents are asked whether to continue that lodging tax, pursuant to §39-15-203(a)(v)(C). The Lodging Tax & Tourism Joint Powers Board consists of five board members. Wheatland, Guernsey, Glendo, Chugwater, and Platte County each appoint a representative to that board.  Their names and contact information is shown later in this article.

Lodging taxes are assessed by the State of Wyoming at a rate of five percent for the state, but cities and counties may impose an additional tax that cannot exceed two percent.  In communities that approve the lodging tax, all establishments providing sleeping accommodations to transient guest (staying less than 30 days) must collect this special sales tax.  It applies to hotels, motels, tourist courts, RV and trailer parks, dude ranches, bed and breakfasts, condominiums and campgrounds.  Currently all 23 counties in Wyoming have either a city or county-wide lodging tax.  

The state also adopted rules about how lodging tax dollars may be spent.  According to state statute, expenditures for travel and tourism promotion shall be limited to promotional materials, television and radio advertising, printed advertising, digital content, social media, promotion of tours, staging of events, educational materials, and other specific tourism related objectives, provided tat none of these funds shall be spent for capital construction or improvements. 

For example, while lodging tax dollars can pay for the operating expenses of a visitor’s center, it cannot use those funds to actually build or make repairs to the center itself.   

On November 7th, county voters will vote on a request to continue the lodging tax, the tax assessed specifically on room rental rates or any kind of temporary housing that is added to the normal sales tax in Platte County.  The sales and use tax is a combination of the four percent set by the state as well as the county’s two percent for a general and specific use tax for the community projects.  

The lodging tax is returned to the counties for promotion of the areas through a variety of ways.

Wyoming’s tourism is big business all year-round and continuation of that tourism is critical to hundreds of businesses in Platte County and across the entire state.  

Lodging tax funds are available to groups and organizations to promote special events throughout the year as well as tourism entities.  

The lodging tax has supported events such as Oktoberfest in Wheatland and Guernsey’s Duck Days, as well as publications designed and printed that promote things to do and see in Platte County.

It has also been used to allow work done through the Platte County Chamber of Commerce to promote the county’s tourism events and sites as well as provide funding to the Visitor Centers in Guernsey and Chugwater.  It provides funding to provide a website that provides information online that can be accessed by limitless numbers of would-be visitors to the area.

With multiple recreation areas in the county such as Glendo and Guernsey State Parks, the historical California, Mormon, Oregon and Pony Express Trails, as well as great fishing opportunities at Glendo, Grey Rocks and the North Platte River, information that can visually introduce and promote those areas across the internet is money well-spent.  

Platte County is blessed with a wide range of interesting and fun things to do and see, so the lodging tax is a small investment that pays back in big dividends to our communities.  When tourists utilize our businesses, the money they contribute through the assessed sales taxes on goods and services  comes back to us every day of the year.  

The board meets the third Tuesday of each month at 11 a.m. at the Platte County Chamber of Commerce Visitors’ Center at 65 16th Street in Wheatland.

On November 7, Platte County voters will also make a number of choices that may enhance life in the county’s five communities.  The ballot will include the sales tax initiative that will provide the funding for projects in each of the county’s communities.

In an article written earlier this year by Record-Times Editor Stephanie Wilson, Platte County Parks and Rec board member Josh Sandlian noted, “We as a small community, meaning Platte County as a whole, rely on specific tax for projects we just cannot budget for in other ways.  There are a lot of positive things we can do with just one penny,” he explained. “We may not think a penny goes very far, but it does. With the 6th Penny Special Purpose Tax, we can collect $250,000-270,000 per month. This is how projects like the Legacy Home, the fairground project,  the courthouse renovation, and municipality projects get paid off so early.”

At least 40 percent of the responsibility of the tax is borne by people from other states traveling through Platte County and eating, shopping, or spending the night here. It doesn’t matter where they are from; they will pay the same sales tax with the same results as those living in Platte County. “The community benefits in a variety of ways,” added Sandlian. “We all want to see Platte County prosper. Platte County would be so fortunate to collect at such a high rate from the 6th Penny.”