Vote against state lodging tax

Submitted by Scott Weber
Posted 10/8/24

Dear editor:

 The state of Wyoming needs more taxes like Custer needed more Indians. There are billions of surplus dollars — our tax money — already sitting in various …

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Vote against state lodging tax

Posted

Dear editor:

 The state of Wyoming needs more taxes like Custer needed more Indians. There are billions of surplus dollars — our tax money — already sitting in various accounts in Cheyenne. 

Our Wyoming treasurer earns our state an average of $850 million a year, every year with investments. 

In fact, Wyoming is one of the highest rated states in terms of surplus tax money. 

With that in mind, any time we have a chance to reduce taxes we must act. Therefore, we must be AGAINST the 2% lodging tax renewal you will see on the upcoming ballot. This 2% tax is a surplus as well given that there is already a lodging tax in place that is permanent.

The lodging tax adds to already expensive hotel rooms throughout the state as used by Wyoming business people, Wyoming tourists, parents of athletes who travel with their teams across the state and other residents. The list goes on. Wyoming folks pay plenty of this draconian lodging tax!  

The use of the bloated lodging tax is a joke. Have you ever seen some of the ads the travel/tourism councils run that are funded by the lodging tax? Pitiful comes to mind. One of them was surely filmed in a New York coffee shop and had nothing to do with Wyoming. Others seem centered on hiking when over 90% of the tourists who come to Wyoming see everything through a windshield. 

And of course no mention of hunting, shooting or trapping which is a billion dollar industry in Wyoming.  The outside advertising agencies hired by the lodging tax dollars must be not only be liberal, but out of state. 

Fact: Yellowstone is way over-promoted and over-crowded. It is being harmed by excessive tourism.  Same with Jacksonholefornia. 

Ever get a hotel room (hard to get) in Jacksonholefornia? There is a 5-inch long column on your invoice of “taxes.” Ever try to dine out in Jacksoholefornia? Six week wait — pathetic. And we need to promote tourism more with more tax?

So vote AGAINST on the 2% renewal of the not-need lodging tax. Then urge your state rep and senator to reduce property tax for all at least 50% in the next Wyoming legislative session.

Scott Weber

Wapiti

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