¼ - CENT
SALES TAX
BUILDS
JOBS
APPROVE AN OPTIONAL
QUARTER-CENT SALES TAX FOR
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT THE
GENERAL ELECTION IN
NOVEMBER 2010
REQUEST
Economic Development Sales Tax
¢
HISTORY
 2006 Goshen County adopted an optional
sales tax for economic development for a twoyear period
 Leveraged local sales tax funds 7:1
 Allowed Goshen County to be competitive with
larger communities when contending for the
UW – GE Energy Coal Research Center
¢
FUNDAMENTALS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
 Encourage job growth
 6.4% unemployment rate in Goshen County –
the highest in 12 years
 Success of existing businesses is top priority for
GCEDC
¢
Goshen County Economic Development Corp
ACCOUNTABILITY
 Is a nonprofit organization created in 1987 to
create jobs, encourage business growth, and
build on local community assets
 Keeps a separate accounting of all sales tax
funds
 Enjoys strong support from local business and
industry, city and county government and the
citizens of Goshen County
¢
Goshen County Economic Development Corp
A PROVEN TRACK RECORD
 Instrumental in developing and obtaining financing for
Goshen County fairgrounds
 Creating a community-owned cooperative, Our Clothing
Store
 Supporting the development of Heartland BioComposites,
which operates today as Natures Composites
 Recruiting the Wyoming Medium Correctional Facility
 Obtaining financing for the Alzheimer’s Unit
 Assisting in obtaining grant funding for the new Lincoln
Center
 Founding the Goshen County 2-Shot Goose Hunt
Business Development
Customized
Proposals
Blue Sun Biodiesel
GE Energy/UW
USE: engineering, survey, research, etc.
Business Development
 Companies looking for site served by
public water and wastewater
 Shovel-ready
 Highway access
UW-GE
Lessons Learned
 Room for expansion
ACTION: Develop Cold Springs Business Park
Business Development
 66 acres – located on Highway 85
 19 lots
 Goal is to add 200 jobs in the next 20 years
 Tax benefits = $7.5 million
 First tenant – Schlagel Mfg.
Cold Springs
Business Park
Business Development
Leveraged
$3,000,000
Schlagel
Manufacturing
 A Wyoming Corporation in its 15th year
 Designs and manufacturers agricultural
farm equipment, metal art, and pickup
accessories
 Has outgrown its current facilities
 Will increase from 22 to 36 jobs
Community Development
Leveraged
$1,355,944
LaGrange
Heritage
Square
Before
 A community, cultural and business center
 4 suites available for lease on second floor
 Community library
 Computer lab
 Museum
 Break/conference room
 Fitness center
After
Community Development
Leveraged
$300,000
 Historic preservation
 Community gathering
place
Hawk Springs
Community
Building
Community Development
 Assessment included:
 Demographic trends
Goshen County
Housing Study
 Housing stock challenges
 Homeownership options
 Rental housing availability
 Elderly population trends
 Special needs households
 Race, ethnicity, and housing
 Economic impact analysis of opening
of WMCI
 Goshen County Housing Survey
Helping Goshen County
establish housing and
funding priorities.
 Scottsbluff/Gering housing market
PURPOSE: to assess the gap between the existing housing
supply and the number of housing units needed
Community Development
Grants and
Matching Funds
 Fort Laramie Rendezvous
 Town of LaGrange
 Hawk Springs Community Building Association
 Torrington Retail Merchants Association
 Oregon Trail Historic By-way
 Platte Valley Young Professionals Network
¢
Conclusion
 Without economic development sales tax,
Goshen County has very limited resources to
stimulate the economy
 Optional sales tax is necessary for economic
development to initiate business development
and community enhancement projects for a
greater impact in all communities