It will be up to the citizens of Albany County to decide whether or not enact a quarter-cent economic development excise tax to benefit the Laramie Economic Development Corporation.

The Laramie City Council Unanimously approved a resolution to allow the item to be placed on the November 2012 ballot in Albany County. The Albany County Board of Commissioners and the Rock River Town Council had already passed the resolution to let the voters decide on the tax, which could bring in an estimated $1.3 million annually.

"If we look at where Cheyenne is today with their industrial park and the developments that they've had, Cheyenne didn't wake up yesterday morning and have those," commented Councilor Joe Vitale during the meeting. "We are in a process today, that Cheyenne was in ten to twelve years ago, building a foundation. This is where it starts, getting the money, identifying a concept plan, getting infrastructure in, doing the marketing promotion and getting those types of businesses that are compatible to this community that will provide current and future opportunities for our young people."

Mayor Scott Mullner and Councilor Karl McCraken discussed the fact that the city council was not voting to impose a tax, they were voting on whether they were going to allow the people in the community decide on the tax. They also noted that it would be up to the LEDC and the political action committee (PAC) to inform the community about the tax and how the monies would be utilized.

"We have an absolute obligation to the voters in this community to help them understand what our vision is with the monies," LEDC Chair Megan Goetz told the council. "We are preparing to explain that to the voters.

"We are trying to look at what these monies would amass as far as revenue goes and match the goals of economic development from a community perspective and say, 'How do we be as flexible as we need to be to meet the small business needs that are already here, to meet the recruiting needs, to meet the marketing needs, how do we meet the existing expansion needs of our current business and meld that into a workable work draft plan?' That is out goal right now, to balance those variables and to be able to achieve as much flexibility as we possibly can with providing some structure as to how those monies are going to be spent."

LEDC voted last month to submit to an annual audit by the City of Laramie to allow more transparency on how the tax money is being utilized. If passed, it is only specified that the monies be used for economic development. The excise tax will not be the only tax on the November ballot as voters will also be decided on a half-mill levy which would help fund the Albany County Transportation Authority.

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