Despite a sharper backlash against it than in recent years, voters still overwhelmingly approved the additional 2% lodging tax, which largely funds advertising campaigns, events and other avenues to bring tourists to Park County.

County voters did, however, approve it by a slightly closer margin than in recent years, with 67.99% (10,925) in favor to 32.01% (5,144) opposed in unofficial results.

That means the lodging tax in the county will remain at 7% for the next four years.

The lodging tax — which is used to promote the county to travelers around the world — has been a consistent yes vote every four years since 1986.

In the last election, roughly three quarters of voters approved what was at that point a 4% tax, added to a new 3% state lodging tax. Starting with this election, a 5% state lodging tax is in place, meaning voters were only asked whether to approve another 2% local lodging tax on top of the 5%. The Park County Travel Council and local governments receive 2% of the base 5% tax, and also receive all of the extra 2%, meaning voters essentially approved a continuation of the full 4% county lodging tax.

Early and absentee voters approved the tax at a slightly higher margin, more than 69%, and there was little difference in level of support between voters in the heavily touristed Cody area and the rest of the county.

Jennifer Thoma, the new Cody Chamber director who headed up the political action committee to support the tax, said it’d been a whirlwind campaign since only starting her executive director job in May.

“We’re proud to see the community continues to support the lodging tax,” she said. “I think there’s a group of people opposed to it, and they tend to be quite vocal, and it felt like there was more opposition than there was.”

There was more vocal opposition than in previous years — Thoma said she thought social media amplified that message.

Wapiti resident Scott Weber, who along with conservative groups including the Park County Patriots campaigned against the tax, said the state and local travel council have plenty enough money without the extra 2% and the money isn’t being well used.

“The taxes are misused and the ads are ridiculous,” Weber said in an earlier interview, noting there is too much advertising of hiking opportunities and not enough for hunting and trapping.

Thoma said opposition generally centered around people thinking the monies misappropriated or not needed, but that people generally understood how the tax worked even though it was the first time for residents to only be voting on an extra 2% on top of that established 5% tax.

“We expected there to be a lot of confusion around the change,” she said, adding “We focused on what was important, why the lodging tax matters to the community, and the voters agreed with us.”

At a recent informational session in Cody, Park County Travel Council Executive Director Ryan Hauck outlined how the lodging tax is spent — roughly $3.04 million was collected in fiscal year 2023 — and answered questions.

“Almost 75% of the budget goes straight towards marketing and advertising the destination,” Hauck said. “That is where the bulk is, that’s how it’s always been.”