What would it take for voters to OK a sales tax hike, officials wonder?

Governments around Park County plan to hire a consultant to help them figure out whether they’ve got a chance at convincing voters to pass a new 1 cent sales tax next year.

On Monday and Tuesday, the Powell City Council, the Cody City Council and the Park County Commission agreed to have the firm George K. Baum & Co. survey residents for their thoughts about raising the sales tax from 4 to 5 percent.

The survey will go out in early 2016 and cost roughly $16,000, divided among the county government, Powell, Cody and Meeteetse by population. Of the sum, $7,500 will go to George K. Baum & Co. to draft and analyze the survey and the rest will cover materials such as printing and postage.

Part of the questionnaire will be aimed at determining whether the local governments would be better off asking voters to OK a 1 cent general purpose tax, which can be used for most government projects, or a specific purpose tax that’s limited to projects spelled out for voters in advance.

“We’re basically seeking citizens’ input as to what they would support,” said City of Cody Administrator Barry Cook.

In 2012, the county and its municipalities asked voters to consider a 1 cent general purpose tax, and more than 60 percent of voters rejected it.

Officials figured the tax would have generated an extra $6.5 million annually for Park County, the cities of Powell and Cody and the town of Meeteetse.

Municipal leaders have said they need additional money to keep up with the rising costs of maintaining and improving infrastructure like roads and sewer system, but they’ve also been reluctant to go back to voters for a tax hike unless they know they’ll do better than they did in 2012.

Powell Mayor Don Hillman said he and City Administrator Zane Logan met with the Cody City Council, county commissioners and representatives from Meeteetse to discuss the survey and “find out what we didn’t do right last time when we presented it to the public.”

On Monday, the Powell City Council unanimously agreed to pitch in $3,580.80 for the survey.

“We had several groups work hard last time, pushing for this thing and Powell was the only one to carry it,” Hillman said. “But, we could do a better job of having an idea of what we need to do.”

The survey’s toughest test came from county commissioners, in part because the county, with more than $17.4 million in reserves, feels it’s in a relatively solid financial position.

“The only reason I’m in favor of it is because I do believe Cody and Meeteetse and Powell desperately need it,” Commission Chairman Joe Tilden said Tuesday.

The commission approved its $6,822.40 share of the survey cost on a narrow 3-2 vote.

Commissioners Bucky Hall, Loren Grosskopf and Tilden voted yes, while Tim French and Lee Livingston voted no.

“I think the last time it (a tax) was presented, it was painted with a very wide, broad brush and I don’t think the people understood exactly what they were asked to vote for,” Tilden said.

He said he realizes that voters said no, but called the survey an opportunity to ask the public if they’d vote differently if the local governments are more specific about the projects they want to fund.

“Since I’ve been a county commissioner, so many times I’ve had people tell me we don’t communicate with our constituents — and that’s one of the reasons that I’m in favor this,” Tilden added later.

Meanwhile, at the Powell City Council meeting, similiar sentiments were expressed.

“There are limitations on what you do with it,” Powell Councilman Jim Hillberry said Monday, noting that continuation would only occur if voters re-approved it in the future.

French, who spearheaded the opposition to the tax in 2014, believed the survey would be biased and generally opposed it and the idea of a new tax.

“It’s pretty arrogant to say to the voters, ‘You don’t understand what you’re voting for. Now we’re going to spend your money to re-educate you so you know how to vote properly.’ It’s just really arrogant and smug,” French said. “In my view, a little over a year ago (2012) there was a huge survey done: it was called the general election and they said overwhelmingly, ‘no.’”

Commissioner Lee Livingston agreed with French and also objected to the idea of bringing in a professional consultant.

“I believe the entities that want this should be able to go out on their own and explain ... why they feel they need it instead of hiring a firm to go out there and do it — and spend taxpayer dollars to do it,” Livingston said.

Tilden offered in response, “I’m not sure the local government entities will have the expertise or the time to do it properly.”

Only four of the seven members of the Cody City Council were present at their Tuesday night meeting and they voted unanimously (with next-to-no discussion) to pay their $5,400 share (plus $11.20 to cover the small sliver of Frannie that’s in Park County).

The Meeteetse Town Council planned to consider the measure at their Wednesday night meeting. Their share of the cost would be $185.30.

Hillman said he wasn’t worried about whether or not Meeteetse would cover their share of the cost, joking that he would cover the cost himself if necessary since it was less than $200.

Tilden predicted that if the survey shows continued opposition to a new 1 cent tax, the local governments won’t bother proposing a tax in 2016.

“If this deal (the survey) goes through and 60 percent say no, it’s dead in the water,” he said.

Park County is one of only two Wyoming counties that does not currently collect a 5th, or also a 6th, cent of sales tax.

(Tribune Managing Editor Matt Naber contributed to this article)